Family Ties
by Fairusa84
Summary: Sequel-of-sorts to Best Friends and Siblings. Edward and Bella's families are becoming tied together in more ways than one.
1. Altered Skin

**Disclaimer: SM and Summit own Twilight and everything associated with it. I like to make up my own stories about the characters. Please don't copy this without asking me.**

**A/N I know, I know, I've been MIA for quite some time now, but I have a very valid reason: I'm traveling! Right now I'm in Mission Beach, Queensland for a while, working at a hostel there and having a great time. The only downside is that I don't have a computer to type out everything I'm writing and I don't want to use my valuable internet minutes for typing. So right now a big 'thank you' is in order for Katherin, a guest at the hostel, for letting me borrow her laptop for a little while.**

**Now, on with this show. The first of a bunch of future takes for _Best Friends and Siblings_. I hope you'll enjoy these peaks into their future.**

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><p><strong>Altered Skin<strong>

**Edward**

Today was the day. I was getting my new tattoo. I had gone back to the shop earlier that week after class and Diego had tweaked it a little bit more to make it perfect. The design was simple enough, yet spoke volumes to me. I couldn't wait to have it permanently etched into my skin. That Bella had been the one to suggest this particular design only made it that much better. On my way over to pick her up, I wondered how I would be received. I wasn't ashamed of this second tattoo, but I also didn't know her parents' – especially Charlie's – opinion on the matter, so I had told Bella to tell them whatever she felt comfortable with, be it the truth or a slightly altered version of it.

Renee answered the door and greeted me with a hug, something she seemed to like. It always made me feel welcome.

'Nervous?' she asked. When I looked at her questioningly, not sure what exactly she was referring to, she specified, 'About the tattoo? Bella told me about its significance.'

'Not too much,' I answered. 'Though I've heard this particular location is a little more painful than my previous one.'

'Well, I'm sure you'll do fine. I just hope Bella doesn't get queasy. She doesn't deal with blood too well...'

Before I could respond, Bella descended the stairs and immediately pulled me out the door.

'In a hurry?' I chuckled.

'Aren't you?'

'We've got time, love. Do you want to drive?'

Her face lit up. Her eagerness to drive was so cute, and her enthusiasm catching. I jiggled the keys in front of her, but high enough so they were just out of her reach.

'First things first,' I teased her as she frowned at me. 'I haven't gotten my kiss yet.'

She grinned and looked up at me through her lashes.

'Oh, if you insist,' she sighed, then leaned into me for a quick peck.

I wasn't having any of that haphazardness, though. I wanted a proper kiss, so I pulled her flush against me and claimed her lips with my own. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her to me, seeking out her tongue and kissing gently. Then, all of a sudden, she snatched the keys from my hand and jumped back, laughing triumphantly. Before I could open the driver's side door for her, she had already gotten in and was starting the car. I hurried over to my side and buckled up.

'So,' I started when we were well on the road. 'What exactly did you tell your parents about today?'

'Well, I couldn't really lie to them, you know? One of Charlie's conditions was that we wouldn't sneak around anymore. So I told them about the tattoo and a little bit about your mom – I hope that's okay?'

I nodded.

'I also told them I didn't know how long it would take and that Esme invited me over for dinner, so they're not expecting me home for a while.'

There was nothing to add to that. Honestly, I didn't really want to know what Charlie thought of today's activity, as long as I could be with Bella.

She seemed to guess where my thoughts were leading me, because she continued, 'He doesn't like tattoos – at all – but said it's not his place to tell you what to do.'

_Good call._

'Just that I shouldn't come home with any additions to _my _body,' she giggled. 'Renee knows I eventually want one, though, and she said they can't stop me from getting one when I'm eighteen.'

I was pleasantly surprised by their attitude. I had half expected them to throw a fit about the whole thing. Oh well, gift horses and all... I wasn't going to complain.

Diego was already waiting for us when we arrived at the shop. I introduced Bella and he nodded approvingly while she was walking around, looking at the various artwork.

'She's hot, man! You did good,' he spoke low enough so she didn't hear.

I just smiled in response.

'You ready?' he continued. 'The station's all set up and I've got the stencil, so we can get to work right away.'

'Can Bella come back too?' I asked. 'She wanted to watch.'

'Sure. Just sit next to his head, gorgeous, and we'll be fine. Help yourself to something from the fridge while you're at it; we'll be a while.'

I took off my jacket, pulled up my shirt and tugged my sweatpants down enough to expose the location for the tattoo. Diego cleaned my skin and applied the stencil, then let me check in the mirror if it was okay.

'Alright, make yourself comfortable on your side. I'll do the outlines first, then we can take a little break, and I'll finish with shading and color.'

I did as instructed and Bella sat down beside me. Over the next three hours, Diego worked on the tattoo, asking me to turn onto my back or move to my side as needed, while Bella observed and occasionally got up to get us a drink.

'Does it hurt?' she asked at some point.

'Not really,' I said, trying to stay as still as possible and keep my breathing even. 'The part right over the bone was a little uncomfortable, but mostly it's just an annoying feeling. Some parts of it actually feel good.'

She had a thoughtful expression on her face as she studied the gun's movements.

'What are you thinking?' I asked.

'Just that... it doesn't look painful at all. It's like he's just brushing over the skin. It's really beautiful.'

'You don't have any?' Diego asked her.

'No, not yet. I want one, though.'

'I'll get you one for your birthday,' I promised, loving her answering smile.

When he started to add color, I really had to concentrate on my breathing. I had three red roses – my mom's favorite flowers – added at the start of the bars of music and they had already been outlined and shaded, so I was pretty sore there. Bella noticed and ran her fingers through my hair to distract me. Playing with a strand of _her_ hair helped, too.

'Edward?' she whispered when Diego was adding some final touches.

I looked at her, eyebrow raised at her quiet tone, and she leaned in close to whisper in my ear.

'Are you... _hard_?'

She subtly nodded toward my crotch, but Diego had already caught on to her question and laughed. I wanted to shrug, but couldn't, so I merely smirked. Fact is, I _was_ hard. It had happened the previous time as well and apparently it was mostly a physical reaction, though with Bella there this time I was actually quite turned on, too.

'Oh girl, that's perfectly normal,' Diego explained. 'Happens all the time. You just help him take care of it when you get home.'

Bella blushed, but when she looked at me, I spotted a hint of desire in her eyes. She was intrigued, alright.

A little while later, the tattoo was finished and Diego cleaned it with a clean, wet paper towel, wiping off some blood and excess ink.

'All done. Go have a look at it before I cover it up for you.'

I slowly got up and made my way over to the mirror.

It was perfect. The roses weren't completely filled, but rather shaded with red and black and a few specks of white. The bars of music danced over my hipbone and decreased in size as they got lower, ending about an inch below where I'd usually wear my boxers.

I grinned at him in the mirror and told him it looked great. He cleaned it once more, applied vaseline and covered it with a bandage.

'Right, you know the drill. Take the bandage off in two hours and clean and treat it. Wash twice a day for two weeks with a mild washing liquid and be generous with vaseline. Come back next month so I can see how it's healing and can take a picture for my portfolio.'

I nodded my understanding, paid him and thanked him once more, and then we were on our way home again.

No one was there yet when we got to the house, so we quickly picked up a snack in the kitchen and retreated to my room.

'So...' Bella started, shoving her hands in her pockets. 'Was it really what Diego said; just a physical reaction?'

I shrugged, 'Partially, yeah. But why don't you check for yourself how much of it is cause by you?'

_All of it_, I thought as she took me up on my challenge and slid my sweatpants down, careful not to put pressure on the bandage.

My cock sprang free from its confines and she licked her bottom lip before biting down on it. Within a few minutes, I was standing naked before her, kissing her as she slowly pumped me. As much as I was enjoying this, I wanted to feel her skin on mine, so I pulled back a little.

'You're awfully overdressed,' I hinted, and pushed her jacket off her shoulders.

She caught on to what I meant and started to help me undress her. Looking at the beautiful girl in front of me, I got an overwhelming feeling of pride.

_Mine. All mine._

I reveled in knowing I was the first – and if it were up to me, the only one – she did any of these things with, and I was ridiculously possessive over that. It brought out something primal in me. Coupled with the state of arousal I had already been in the entire afternoon, I couldn't wait to claim her. I only hoped she wouldn't mind the lack of foreplay...

Pulling her close, I kissed the spot just below her ear that always made her shiver, then softly bit her earlobe before growling, 'I need to be inside you. Right. _Now.'_

'Yes,' she breathed, and started pulling me toward my bed.

That's when I realized I couldn't have her wrap her legs around me like usual, because of the tattoo.

'Get on your knees,' I ordered, and snagged a condom from the bedside table. Tearing the wrapper and sheathing myself, I got on my knees behind her and aligned myself.

'Ready?' I asked, pushing forward just a little bit, so she could feel me.

She looked at me over her shoulder with lust-filled eyes and nodded. Taking that as my cue, I slammed right into her, groaning as I felt her heat and tightness fully surrounding me. I set an almost punishing pace, trying not to worry about hurting her, which was surprisingly easy in my current caveman state of mind. Bella liked it when I was rough with her at times and had promised me she'd tell me if I ever went too far. Based on the sounds she was making and the way her hands were fisting the sheets, she wasn't complaining.

_Mine. First. Always._

I pushed down on her lower back a little, and the slightly different angle elicited moans from both of us. Tension inside me was building with every thrust. I was about to quicken my pace, when Bella moaned my name.

'I... I want to... see you,' she panted.

'Do you now?' I grunted.

'Uhuh...'

Without further warning, I pulled out of her, flipped her onto her back, and flung her legs over my left shoulder. I locked eyes with her, then slammed right back in, to the hilt. Her mouth dropped open and she was breathing heavily as I plowed into her. I was holding on to her legs with my left arms as the fingers of my right dug into the skin of her hip. Her hands were on her chest, cupping her breasts and pinching her nipples. The sights spurred me on and I felt my orgasm fast approaching.

'Bella,' I said. 'I need you to come.'

I wanted her to come with me, and I wasn't going to last that much longer. She reached one of her hands down her body while the other continued to manipulate her nipple, and started rubbing herself. It wasn't long before her muscles started squeezing me even harder, which sent me right over the edge, practically roaring out her name. I pumped into her a few more times, both of us riding out the waves of pleasure, before I pulled out of her and collapsed next to her on the bed. Bella rolled her head to the side and looked at me, still trying to catch her breath.

'Wow... that was... amazing, Edward,' she smiled lazily.

I pulled her into my side and kissed the top of her head.

'I didn't hurt you, did I?' I couldn't help but ask.

She giggled, 'No, baby. I loved it.'

'Good. Then I'm going to clean my tattoo. Be right back.'

After disposing the condom, I peeled off the bandage. I was just wetting a washcloth when Bella came in.

'Can I help?' she asked.

When I nodded, she took the washcloth from my hand and got down on her knees in front of me. My cock immediately sprung to attention, but I didn't want to get my hopes up.

_She's just helping you take care of the tattoo._

Exactly.

Bella surprised me, though, because she alternated treating my tattoo with gently brushing against my erection.

'It's beautiful, Edward.'

Was she talking about my cock or about the artwork in its vicinity?

'Diego did an amazing job on this one.'

Right, the artwork.

'Yeah, I'm really happy with it. Thanks for... helping,' I gulped at the end.

Apparently, she was done applying the vaseline, because she wrapped her lips around my cock and started sliding me in and out of her mouth. I had to hold on to the counter for support as she worked her magic on me again.

_Best girlfriend in the fucking world!_

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><p><strong>AN I hope this was worth the wait. You know the drill: let me know what you think! Also, if there are any parts of BfaS that you would like to see an outtake or alternate POV of, shoot me a message and I'll consider it.**


	2. More Than Words

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Twilight**_** or the characters; Stephenie Meyer and Summit do. Please take note of this. And be nice.**

**A/N So, how did you like the tattoo bit of last chapter? After writing that one, I so want to see it on someone – preferably The Pretty; he could do with some ink. Anyway, I've decided to get another one while I'm in Australia, just waiting for the right time (as in: a few consecutive weeks when I'll be able to keep it out of sea and sun).**

**A lovely, fun, Irish girl who's staying at the hostel and works at the adjacent bar & grill, allowed me to borrow her laptop so I could type this out. Thanks, Sara!**

**A couple of reviews for **_**BFaS**_** requested I write the wedding, so here it is.**

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><p><strong>More Than Words<strong>

**Bella**

'I do,' Esme's voice rang out clearly.

I gripped my brother's hand a little more tightly at the scene unfolding before us. I felt honored being present here; it was such a private, family moment, yet Emmett and I were attending as part of this growing family.

Esme was a radiant bride in an elegant champagne colored gown, purple flowers in her bouquet and adorning her chignon. Carlisle looked dashing in his three-piece suit, his vest and tie matching Esme's flowers. Rosalie's eyes were glistening as she witnessed the exchange of vows. Her mother's maid of honor, she was wearing a silver-gray strapless mini-dress and her hair was pulled away from her face, cascading down her back in soft curls. Edward, Jasper and Emmett all wore black suits with white shirts, their ties coordinating with their girlfriends' dresses; Jasper's was a deep burgundy, matching Alice's Betsey Johnson halter-dress, and Edward's was light blue, to go with my one-shoulder mini. When I had shown my dress to Renee, she had been concerned it might be too cold for mid-February, but I had assured her I would be wearing my black wool trenchcoat whenever we went outside.

Edward had picked me up in the morning and had presented me with a single red rose, which I had pinned into my half-updo, before depositing my weekend bag in his trunk. We had agreed I would spend the weekend at Emmett's and Rosalie's. Edward had wanted to take me to a hotel, so we all could have some privacy, but Charlie had refused, demanding I'd stay under my brother's supervision or not see Edward at all. I felt bad for intruding on them, but it was the only way we could spend the weekend together.

_Not exactly the Valentine's Day I had hoped for._

Emmett surprised me, though, when he suggested we'd have dinner together, then retreat to our rooms and put on some music to drown out any sounds.

'I know what you'll be doing,' he had said. 'Doesn't mean I want to hear it.'

It was as good a compromise as I was going to get.

After the ceremony, we gathered at an exclusive restaurant overlooking Puget Sound, where we enjoyed a high tea and toasted to the happy couple. By the time dessert was served, Carlisle stood up, requesting our attention.

'Thank you all so much for being here today and sharing this joyous occasion with us. It wouldn't be the same without our children.'

He lifted his glass and we all joined in on the toast, before he continued, 'Before we go our separate ways – it _is_ Valentine's Day, after all – we would like to take this opportunity of having us all assembled and dressed impeccably.'

Curious glances were exchanged around the table. What was he talking about? He kept their surprise a while longer still, by instructing us to follow their car to our next destination.

**~o.O.o.~**

We pulled up to a building with a plain exterior. Carlisle and Esme were already waiting for us in front of it. A sign above the door read _Siobhan Keoghan, photographer_. When we approached, the door swung open and a tall, striking woman emerged.

'Esme, darling, welcome!'

She folded Esme in an embrace, then turned to Carlisle, 'You must be her husband. Congratulations! May I say, you both look absolutely radiant!'

Esme returned her warm sentiments and proceeded to quickly introduce us.

A few minutes later, I found myself looking around at the photographs displayed across Siobhan's studio, as she was busy taking Carlisle's and Esme's wedding pictures. Esme had told us that she had met Siobhan during a photoshoot of one of the houses she had styled, and she had quickly become her regular photographer. When planning this wedding, she had asked her to make a new family portrait. As I was perusing the pictures on display, I noticed a familiar looking girl in quite a few of them. She had shoulder-length, bright red hair, freckles, and piercing green eyes. It wasn't until I recognized the U-Prep uniform in one picture that the pieces started coming together.

'Hey Alice,' I whispered, not wanting to interrupt the photoshoot. 'Do you know the girl in these pictures? She looks familiar.'

'That's Maggie Keoghan. She's a sophomore, and on the debate team. She's really good, too! She sees right through someone's bluff, almost as if she can sense a lie.'

'So, she's related to Siobhan?'

'I think she's her niece or something. Must be cool, all those photoshoots.'

'Right,' Siobhan interrupted our hushed conversation. 'I think we've got what I need for the bridal shots. Let's get the kids in for the next couple of frames.'

Emmett and I watched as she positioned the others around their parents. Edward looked very proud, standing behind his father, a hand on Esme's shoulder. All of his previous pain and worries seemed to have faded, leaving calm and happiness in their place.

'Bella, Emmett,' Esme called to us. 'You should be in these pictures, too. You're as much part of our family.'

Emmett didn't waste any time and took my hand, pulling me onto the set. Like the rest of the day, it was understated yet refined, letting the people in the shot speak for themselves. We were positioned in front of a dark gray backdrop, Carlisle and Esme seated on two chairs, with us paired off around them; Rosalie and Emmett behind Carlisle, Edward and I behind Esme, and Alice and Jasper in front on either side of them.

When Siobhan announced she had enough family shots, we paired off in different groupings for some more pictures. First, all three sets of siblings took their turn – I made a mental note to get a copy enlarged and framed for Charlie and Renee. They would like the picture of Emmett and me back to back, playful smiles on our faces. Then, Edward, Jasper and Emmett tried to outdo each other in looking cool and mysterious, but ended up without their jackets, shirts untucked, their ties loosened, goofing off. When they had exhausted that, Rosalie, Alice and I had some pictures taken together. There was one shot which I absolutely loved: Rosalie and I were flanking Alice and we had our arms wrapped loosely around each other, with Alice holding our hands in front of her. We then decided we wanted some pictures of the six of us all together, before breaking off into couples. Jasper hoisted Alice onto his back – I was a little surprised she let him obscure her outfit from view – which made for some adorable shots. Rosalie and Emmett posed more traditionally, gazing into each other's eyes lovingly. When it was our turn, Siobhan placed a chair in the center of the set, instructing Edward to sit down on it sideways.

'Now Bella, if you could sit on his lap facing him, your legs to the right… Great. And just put your arms where you feel comfortable, that way it'll look more natural. Perfect.'

I relaxed into Edward's embrace, his hands on my lower back and my arms loosely around his neck. We both looked towards the camera and I rested my cheek against his forehead.

'Beautiful, you guys,' Siobhan praised. 'For the next couple of frames, look at each other and interact a little.'

We did as she asked and I leaned in to softly kiss his lips. Somewhere in the background in heard Esme sigh as Emmett and Jasper were making catcalls at our exchange. We broke apart, laughing, and moments later Siobhan called out that she had all the shots she needed.

**~o.O.o.~**

Carlisle and Esme were spending the weekend in the Cascade Suite of the Fairmont Olympic, enjoying their newlywed state. They weren't leaving for their honeymoon until Spring Break, coinciding with any trips we would be taking. We hugged them goodbye and piled back into our cars. I was pretty envious of Alice; she got to spend the weekend all alone at home with Jasper, while for me the choice had been between hanging out at my brother's or not seeing Edward at all. I had half a mind to ask Edward to go to his place instead – a large house offered more privacy than a small apartment – but I knew Emmett wouldn't agree to that.

_The more proof you give Charlie that he can trust you, the sooner he might let go of his strict rules. Hopefully._

I tried to convince myself of that during the drive over to the apartment. At the same time, I tried not to think of a particular conversation with Edward that was inevitable.

_Don't ruin your first Valentine's Day together, or it might end up being your last._

There was no avoiding it any longer, but I would wait until morning to broach the subject.

'What's wrong, love?' Edward's velvety voice pulled me from my negative thoughts.

I forced a smile.

'Nothing,' I lied. 'I'm anxious to be alone with you.'

He seemed unconvinced, but let it slide, just squeezing my leg.

A few minutes later, Edward's phone chimed with an incoming text. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me.

_Hey bro, Rose & I are going out for dinner. Our place is yours until we get back. Take care of my sister – Em_

I read the text to him.

'Looks like we've got some privacy after all,' I smiled genuinely this time.

Edward nodded, 'Do you want to pick up some dinner?'

I leaned over, sliding my hand up his leg, and whispered in his ear, 'I'm not hungry. For food, anyway.'

At that, he stepped on the gas and I giggled as I sat back again in my seat.

**~o.O.o.~**

Edward dropped my bag in my room, helped me out of my coat and kissed my exposed shoulder. I shivered from his touch and turned around, placing my hands on his chest.

'Actually, could you give me a couple of minutes? I've got a little surprise for you.'

His eyes widened at my promise, but he stepped back.

'Fair enough, then I'll go pick up the surprise I stored in the kitchen.'

When he had closed the door behind himself, I quickly let my hair down, running my fingers through it to loosed it up, then opened my bag and pulled out the small bundle I had bought for the occasion.

Looking myself over in the mirror a few minutes later, I gave myself one last peptalk.

_You look great. Edward's going to love it. Don't worry about anything else._

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the door opening and I slowly turned around. Edward nearly dropped the bottle of champagne and the tray he was carrying.

_He must like the outfit._

His eyes roamed my body, which was clad in a purple satin slip dress with black lace overlay, matching panties, garter belt and stockings, and a pair of Rosalie's Louboutin stilettos. I could barely walk in them, but they did their job in boosting my height and accentuating my legs. Edward kept on staring, his mouth still agape, and eventually I started fidgeting. That seemed to pull him out of his trance. He carefully set down the bottle and its cooler on my desk and held out the tray to me. On it were perfect chocolate covered strawberries.

'I uhm… asked Esme to help me make them,' he admitted. 'You know, to make up for last time. Uhm… wow, Bella… you look…'

He seemed at a loss for words; instead, he motioned towards me. I got the gist of what he meant, though.

'Do you like it?' I asked.

'Like it? Babe, I _love_ it! I'd tear it right off you if I didn't want to enjoy the view a little while longer!'

He did tear it off me. Eventually. And gently. He said he wanted me to wear it more often, so he didn't want to rip it. Then we fed each other strawberries and drank champagne – I figured one glass couldn't hurt. He made love to me slowly and tenderly. Afterwards, we lay in bed together; I was tracing his new tattoo as his fingers danced along my spine.

'Bella, what's wrong?' he asked.

'Noth…' I started, but he cut me off, sighing.

'I know something's been on your mind, and that you're hesitant to talk to me about it. Whatever it is, you can tell me. I _love_ you, baby. Don't lock me out.'

I knew this conversation was looming, but I had been hoping to postpone it just a little while longer.

'It's not something I want to discuss today,' I started.

'It's past midnight; technically, it's tomorrow already,' he reasoned.

He had a point there, yet I was still apprehensive to talk about it.

'Bella, please. You're worrying me. Let me help you…' he pleaded.

'Fine,' I conceded, sitting up. 'But you're not going to like it.'


	3. When it all falls apart

**When it all falls apart**

**Edward**

'You're not going to like it,' she said.

I doubted that. Whatever it was, it couldn't be as bad as not knowing what was going on. I knew something had been on her mind. She had tried to hide it from me, but I had been able to read her better and better each day.

She sat up, the sheets falling from her body.

'I need to be dressed for this,' she muttered, barely audible.

I picked up my shirt from the floor and handed it to her.

'Please, Bella, just tell me.'

'There's no way to ease into this,' she warned. 'Uhm… I suppose I should just say it… I uhm… haven't had a period since we started having sex.'

Was that it? It couldn't be that bad, could it?

'So, you're like, a couple of days late?' I asked.

'No, Edward. You don't understand. I haven't been late a day in my life. It's been _weeks_!'

Dots started getting connected and I was becoming frustrated.

'Why didn't you talk to me about this sooner?'

'Because… I don't know, alright! First, there was all this stress around Christmas, and then I got really busy with school. I just didn't notice. But then I missed another one…'

'When was that?' I questioned.

Had she been walking around with this secret all this time? Why hadn't she confided in me?

'About two weeks ago,' she confessed softly.

'Two weeks ago?' I yelled.

Yes, I yelled at her. I couldn't help it. My girlfriend was telling me she was late and had been thinking so for several weeks. Can you blame me for being slightly angered by that?

'Look, I'm sorry, okay?' she yelled right back. 'I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to worry you, what, with the wedding coming up and all. And maybe I was hoping I'd get my period before we'd have to have this conversation. Seeing as how well it's going now!'

Tears were streaming down her face and instantly I felt bad. Sure, she should have come to me. Didn't she know by now that we were in this thing together, for better or worse? But I could understand her fears a bit, too. I mean, she was just seventeen. Of course this was a scary situation.

'Shit, baby, I'm sorry.' I rushed over to her, not caring that I was naked. 'I didn't mean to upset you. It's just… this is kind of big, you know? I wish you'd've come to me sooner. Please, don't cry,' I tried to console her, wiping the tears from her cheeks and kissing her softly.

She leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around her. She was just calming down when there was a knock on the door.

'Are you guys okay?' Rosalie called. 'I just got in and I heard yelling…'

Bella looked up at me, a silent question in her eyes. I shrugged; why not tell Rosalie? She might be able to offer Bella advice that I couldn't give. She went to open the door as I put my underwear back on.

'Hey Rose,' she greeted her quietly. 'How was dinner?'

'Cut the crap, Bells. I heard you both yell, you've obviously been crying, and Edward looks about as guilty as can get. What happened?'

Leave it to Rosalie to cut to the chase. Bella hesitated, taken aback by her straightforward approach, so I spoke up.

'Bella thinks she might be pregnant.'

Rosalie's expression immediately softened and she turned to Bella, rubbing her hands over her arms.

'Oh, sweetie…' she sighed. 'Did you take a test?'

Bella was close to tears again and could only shake her head.

Rosalie cupped her face, 'Let's go do that right now, okay?'

**o.O.o**

Both girls disappeared into the bathroom and I was left standing in the middle of the room, just waiting. I took to pacing along the hallway outside the bathroom door. How long could a test like that take? It felt like it had been hours.

On my fifth turn, Emmett barged in the front door.

'Rosie, babe, can I come in yet?' he yelled. 'Oh, hey Eddie. What are you doing out here?'

'Rose took Bella to the bathroom to take a pregnancy test.'

I figured I might as well tell him now, as he was about to find out anyway.

'So _that_ is why she wanted me to wait outside! My girl is pregnant? That's awesome!' He started banging on the door. 'Babe, let me in! Can I see it, please?'

That was unexpected. I guess the way I had said it had made him think _Rosalie_ was taking the test. Had they been trying for a baby?

Before I was able to get a word in, he realized the door was unlocked and he opened it, revealing two stunned girls.

Rosalie held up the test, comparing it to the image on the box, and muttered, 'It's positive.'

Everything happened so fast then.

'I'm going to be a daddy?' Emmett shouted excitedly, and ran over to Rosalie.

She tried to tell him otherwise, but at the same time, Bella burst into tears and rushed into my arms. I was in shock, honestly. Within a matter of minutes, the night had gone from a romantic Valentine's celebration to a complete chaos. There wasn't much to do at the moment except hold Bella and let her cry.

When Emmett realized Rosalie wasn't returning his sentiments, he started to put things together.

'You're not pregnant?' he asked, to which she shook her head. 'But… the test was positive…'

'Yes. Babe…' Rosalie hedged, at the same time that I started, 'Em…'

I noticed the second he realized exactly what was going on, and started to pull out of the bathroom, taking Bella with me.

_Best to put some distance between yourself and that big guy._

'No way. But that means… No _fucking_ way! My little sister? Edward? What the _fuck_?' he roared, then turned around and fixed his murderous gaze on me. 'Get your ass back in here, Cullen! I'm going to fucking kill you! You knocked up my little sister? Get out of my way, Rose!'

He tried to get to me, but his path was blocked by both his girlfriend and his sister.

'Em, calm down!' Rosalie commanded him. 'You're only making it worse. Can't you see how upset they already are?'

'I don't care!' he continued. 'He _should_ be upset. He's ruining her life! Just get out of my way so I can beat the crap out of him!'

'Please, don't, Emmett,' Bella cried. 'You don't want to hurt him.'

'Like hell I don't! Bells, he messed up, and I told him to treat you right…'

They kept on yelling, and Bella could barely speak, she was crying so hard.

I reached out to take her hand and spoke in her ear, 'Let's just give him some space to deal with this. We'll go to my place and figure out what to do tomorrow.'

I ushered her back to her room and turned to Rosalie.

'Can you take care of him? I'm so sorry for ruining your night.'

'Don't worry about it, Edward. You just make sure Bella's alright. I'll call you in the morning.'

**o.O.o**

The ride over was painfully quiet. We had quickly thrown on some clothes, grabbed our phones and my keys and made our retreat. As we had walked out the door, Rosalie had been consoling Emmett in the living room. I felt like a grade A douche; I had singlehandedly managed to crush my best friend's dream of fatherhood while simultaneously tarnishing his sister as well as his trust in me. Not to mention the fact that Bella and I were now faced with a life-altering situation. She was in the passenger seat, crying quietly. All I wanted to do was pull her into my arms and make all her pain and worries go away, but this was a situation I couldn't fix like that.

When we got to my place, she didn't move to get out of the car. I walked around it, opened the door and gently lifted her from her seat, cradling her close to my chest. She buried her head in the crook of my neck and sniffled a little. She was so vulnerable in that moment; I felt even more protective of her than usual. I had to step up and take responsibility.

She clutched my sweatshirt when I laid her down on my bed, not wanting to let go.

'Shhh,' I soothed her. 'I'll be right back. Just going to get you some tea.'

On my way to the kitchen, I texted my father.

_Dad, sorry to disturb your weekend, but could you come home in the morning? I need your help – Edward_

He would be able to help us, and at the very least make sure Bella was physically okay. I did a little math in my head. If Bella's last period had been before Christmas, she was about two months pregnant at the most. That meant she would be eighteen by the time the baby was born; I would be twenty-two. Sure, we were both young, but we were also adults and committed to each other. Emmett and Rosalie had apparently been trying for a while, so what was to say we couldn't do it? If I could get Bella to see that side of things, maybe she wouldn't be as upset anymore. I just needed to make sure she knew I was serious about us.

**o.O.o**

I sat down the tea on the bedside table, stripped to my underwear and got into bed beside her. She immediately rolled over and nestled into my embrace. I kissed the top of her head, preparing myself for what I was about to ask.

'Marry me, Bella?' I spoke quietly.

Her breath hitched and she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes, a confused expression in them. Hadn't she heard my question, or didn't she understand?

'What?' she choked out.

'Marry me,' I repeated.

'Stop joking, Edward,' she admonished me. 'This is serious. We have to…'

'But I am being serious,' I insisted.

Didn't she see that this would at least take some of the stress out of the situation? If we got married, we would be a family and no one could argue we were being irresponsible. She appeared to be mulling over the idea. Relief flashed across her face, only to be replaced by anger and, finally, determination.

'No,' she spoke softly.

What? Why would she turn down this solution?

'But, Bella, you do love me, right?' I asked, all of a sudden starting to feel insecure.

'You know I do,' she assured me. 'So incredibly much. But I don't want to marry you like this. You should ask me because you can't imagine your life without me.'

'But I can't,' I objected.

It was true. I couldn't even begin to fathom what my life would be like without her in it. Charlie would most certainly take her away from me once he found out about this.

'I know, but that's not the main reason you're asking me now. It's because I'm pregnant. Out of fear, or obligation. That's not how I want it. When I marry you, I want it to be about love, of choosing to tie myself to you in any way humanly possible. Nothing more, nothing less.'

Wow. That was quite the answer, and not one I was expecting, or hoping for. But she had a point when she said my proposing to her was initiated by our current predicament. I did want to marry her, though, for all the reasons she just gave me.

_She said _when_, not _if_. That's a good sign._

'So, you do want to marry me eventually?' I asked carefully after a few moments of silence.

'Of course! I'd love to be your wife. Someday.'

I breathed a sigh of relief and resignation.

'But not now.'

It wasn't a question, but she nodded in response anyway. I pulled her back against me, needing to feel her close to me, and kissed her gently.

**o.O.o**

Bella was quiet after that and after I while, I thought she had fallen asleep, so I was a little surprised when I felt her soft fingers caressing my chest and abs, tracing lower until they reached the waistband of my boxers. She turned her head and started placing kisses on my chest. Just being close to her got me hard and her current touches only enhanced that; I was already breathing heavier and felt my muscles tense in anticipation. But when she dipped her hand into my underwear and started stroking me, I spoke up. We didn't _have_ to have sex again that night, not with the emotional state she was in. I was perfectly content with just holding her.

'Edward, you don't understand,' she said, not faltering in the movement of her hand. 'I want you. I _need_ to feel close to you. Especially now.'

With that, she gripped me more firmly and started pumping, while biting my nipple. The combination caused me to moan and buck up into her hand. There was no way I was going to deny her what we obviously both wanted. She helped me out of my boxers and I quickly removed her clothes, so I had her once again naked in my arms. Bella wrapped her legs around me and looked up at me intently.

'Make love to me, Edward,' she implored.

I leaned down and kissed her deeply, at the same time pushing into her. No condom this time.

_She's already pregnant, no worries about risking that now._

For the first time I was experiencing making love to Bella unadulterated and without any barriers. The feeling was exquisite. I had never done it without a condom before, so this was truly a milestone for the both of us. My emotions were all over the place; relishing in the purely physical pleasure, savoring this connection with her, the lingering stress of earlier… But above all I felt a sense of awe about what she was giving me. I had the girl I loved in my arms, the woman I knew I would marry once she would be ready, and _my child_ was growing inside her. I opened my eyes and saw my own whirlpool of emotions reflected in those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes of her.

'Bella…' I whispered almost reverently.

In response, she tightened the grip of her legs around my waist and clutched my arms near desperately. A single tear slipped from her eyes; I wiped it away with my thumb and kissed her again. When my orgasm arrived, it was so unexpected and so intense, I was left gasping for air.

**o.O.o**

When I woke up the next morning, I was wrapped around Bella, my hand resting on her stomach. She was still asleep, a small smile on her lips. We were so comfortable like this; I could easily picture the rest of our lives.

_Wow there, buddy. You're talking marriage, family, commitment… forever!_

Exactly. She was it for me. Why wait, or deny it?

_Yeah, well, make sure you don't scare her off. Remember, you're both still really young._

I knew that, and of course, ideally, we wouldn't be in this situation this early on. But we were, and I might as well try to make the best of it.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I got out of bed, put my underwear back on and made sure Bella was sufficiently covered before I went to open it.

'Good morning, son,' my father greeted me. 'I just wanted to let you know Esme and I are home.'

'Thanks, Dad. I'll go wake up Bella and we'll be right down.'

'Why are you two here, anyway? I thought you were staying at Rosalie's?'

'We were, but something came up and I thought it'd be better to come here instead. Look,' I said, glancing over my shoulder to check on Bella. 'We'll be down soon and then I'll explain, alright?'

He nodded and walked away. I closed the door and knelt beside the bed, gently tracing my hand down Bella's side. She opened her eyes and smiled at me, but when she noticed we were in my room instead of hers, her face fell and she sighed.

'What's wrong, love?'

'I had been hoping it was all just a bad dream,' she confessed. 'But then I remembered everything.'

Shit. She obviously was still very much stressed out over it. Not that I wasn't, but I had been trying to see the positive side of things and come up with solutions. Bella appeared not to be there yet.

'Well, my dad's home now. I figured he could help, at least for the medical stuff and all. So let's just get dressed and go have some breakfast, alright?'

**o.O.o**

'What?' my father roared, banging his fist on the table and making me cringe.

Bella sat beside me, stunned silent, clutching my hand.

'Edward, how could you be so irresponsible? You're both still in school, for crying out loud! What were you thinking? Ever heard of a condom?'

During his rant, Bella had started crying. I put my arm around her and pulled her into my side as I defended myself.

'Dad, will you please calm down? I know we messed up, alright? For the record: we've been using condoms every single time. One of them must've broken…'

'And you didn't notice?'

'Come on, Dad, you _know_ me.'

'I thought I did, but then again, I didn't know about your former _harem_ until a couple of months ago.'

I winced. Why did he have to bring that up? I knew I didn't have the best track record, but I had hoped that would all be in the past by now.

'Okay, look, I'm sorry about all the shit I've put you through over the years; you didn't deserve that. But this isn't about that. It's about me and Bella.'

'Darling, he's right,' Esme spoke up. 'He's a changed man since Bella came into his life. I'm sure we can trust them both that this was an accident.'

I shot her a thankful smile, then addressed my father again.

'Condoms can break when used in water. As far as I can guess, that's got to be what happened.'

All three of them looked at me, confused.

'I've had some time to think about it, okay? We've always been careful; I would've noticed if a condom had burst or slipped off. The only time I can remember that something could've happened without me noticing was the time we did it in the shower.'

I felt a little embarrassed discussing this with my parents, but if it would prove to my father that I hadn't been reckless, so be it. He was silent for a while, taking in my words.

'And when would that have been?'

'Christmas,' Bella whispered.

'Did you take a test?'

'Yes, last night. It was positive.'

'Alright, here's what we'll do. We go to the hospital, get some blood work done and a sonogram. Based on the timeframe, and I take it, Bella, you're period is fairly regular? Then you'll probably be looking at a due date of around mid to late September. Once we've got more information, we'll discuss your options. Agreed?'

We both nodded.

I was glad he listened to me and had come around from his initial anger.

Doctor Cullen was taking over.

**o.O.o**

The sonogram confirmed our suspicions: Bella was about ten to twelve weeks pregnant.

I just couldn't believe that the blip on that screen was our baby. Bella didn't take it too well, though; she broke down in my arms and spent a good amount of time crying. She wasn't ready for this. But when we started talking about our options, she flat out refused to consider an abortion – for which I was thankful – and struggled with the idea of adoption. Esme sat down beside her and took her hand.

'Bella, dear, I know this is an awful lot to process right now, but trust me that it's best to follow your heart. Anything practical can be sorted out later. Right now it's important you don't do something you'll regret. No one will judge you for your decision, so don't worry about that. What do _you_ want?'

Bella sniffled and hesitated, then carefully whispered, 'I… I'm not ready for this. But I can't give it up…'

I released the breath I had been holding at that.

'So, you're saying you want to keep it?' I asked carefully.

She shrugged, 'I guess so.'

I hugged her to me.

'We'll figure it out, love.'

I locked eyes with my parents over her head and knew we could count on them for support. We just had to think of a plan.

**o.O.o**

The rest of Sunday was spent talking about our situation and trying to come to terms with it. Rosalie called to see how things went; Emmett was still very upset, but mostly disappointed, and said he'd be the best uncle the baby would ever know. Alice cried when we told her and Jasper. I couldn't figure out if she was happy, or sad, or confused. Probably a mixture of it all. Jasper just looked at us with a concerned expression on his face, then hugged Bella and took me aside.

'How are you holding up?' he asked.

'What do you mean? I'm fine.'

'I don't believe that. Granted, I like you a whole lot better since you met B, but come on, man. It's not that long ago that you were all about the fun and parties no responsibilities… Are you honestly saying you're ready to settle down and start a family?'

'I don't have much of a choice, do I?' I countered. 'Look, I spent most of the night thinking this through. I don't want to lose Bella; she's everything to me. Yes, this is all messed up and way too soon, but there's nothing we can do about that now. I'm just going to make the best of it. And I _am_ pretty excited about my baby growing inside of her, you know? That stuff's just amazing, to see it on that screen…'

He clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a one-armed hug.

'Alright, you don't have to convince me,' he laughed. 'Just know that it's going to be tough, but we'll all be here for you guys. Can't believe my best friend's going to have a kid…'

**o.O.o**

The hardest part was telling Bella's parents. Renee broke down into tears, blubbering about being too young to be a grandmother, 'and what about school?' and all that.

'Mom,' Bella interrupted her. 'I won't drop out. We haven't sorted everything out yet, but we will.'

Charlie wasn't having any of it, though. He was in Chicago on business, so we were actually having the talk through Skype. The computer's speakers nearly burst when he started voicing his anger, and Bella flinched beside me, nearly cutting off blood flow in my hand with the way she was squeezing it. He practically ordered us to get an abortion and then for me to stay away from Bella, but she put her foot down before I could even formulate a response.

'We'll do no such thing!' she yelled. 'I'm having this baby, whether you like it or not. I'm not a murderer and as long as I have Edward by my side, I'll be fine.'

'As long as he sticks around, that is,' Charlie muttered.

'Shut up, Dad!' she yelled, exasperatedly. 'I know this is messed up, but we're doing the best we can and you acting this way isn't helping.'

'Charlie, please,' Renee added. 'You'll drive her away from us. We need to be there for her, for them. There's really nothing else to do.'

It took a lot of convincing, but finally he conceded that at least we were trying to do the right thing. He did promise me one hefty talk when he was back in town. I was still rather intimidated by the guy, but also knew that nothing could sway me from my decision. Bella and I were a family now and if anyone would try to come between us, we would face them together.

**o.O.o**

That night I stayed over at Bella's for the first time. Renee didn't mind, reasoning that we were already having a baby together, so why try to deny it?

Bella took me up to her room, closed the door and drew the curtains. I pulled her back against my chest, resting one hand on her belly while pulling her hair back with the other, and softly kissed her shoulder. She sighed and leaned back against me, stroking the hand on her stomach.

I started to unfasten the buttons of her school uniform, gaining access to her skin, when she said, 'If Charlie gives us grief about all of this, I'm moving in with you right away. Once we're married, he can't do a thing about it.'

I couldn't contain my smile at her words. True, she didn't exactly spell it out, but she did say she'd marry me, and that was the important part. Despite all of the stress we had endured and all of the troubles we were bound to encounter, I couldn't have been happier.

I had my Bella and we were starting our future together.

**o.O.o**

That happiness didn't last long, however, because just a few days later my world came tumbling down with one frantic phone call from Alice.

'You have to come to the hospital _now_! There's so much blood…'


	4. Crash and Burn

**Disclaimer: as usual, I don't own **_**Twilight**_**, the characters or the franchise. I do own a brand new notebook, which I just bought last week, so hopefully I'll be able to update a little more often.**

* * *

><p><strong>Crash and burn<strong>

**Bella**

I was in bed, trying desperately to fall asleep. This horrible day couldn't end fast enough for me. I wanted this entire week to be over and done with. In case things hadn't been bad enough with finding out I was pregnant and everything that came with it, Charlie had managed to make it even worse when he got back from Chicago on Tuesday. I understood he was angry and disappointed in me, and that he blamed Edward for everything, but I had hoped he would still be able to be at least a little bit compassionate.

The first thing he did when I got home from school was ground me and forbid any contact with Edward. Alice was to drive me to and from school and I wasn't allowed to have any friends over. I accepted it, hoping a few days – maybe a couple of weeks at most – would cool him off sufficiently and he could be reasoned with.

But then Thursday happened.

**o.O.o**

I had been cramping and Alice, worried, had called Carlisle, who had told me to come over after school for a check-up. I wasn't too concerned; it probably was nothing, and at least I would be able to see Edward for a little while. But then I got hit in the stomach with a volleyball during Gym, which had set off a chain of events that landed me in the emergency room. Alice had called Edward from the ambulance and he was by my side when Carlisle gave us the news.

I had miscarried.

I didn't know whether to feel sad about that, or relieved. I had just gotten used to the idea of having a baby, and Edward and I were working things out. If Charlie would make things more complicated than they needed to be, I would move in with the Cullens as soon as possible, but either way, as soon as school would let out in June, we were getting an apartment together and would start preparing for the baby. I would take some classes over the summer, so I wouldn't get behind and could graduate on time. We had it all pretty much figured out and I was finally allowing myself to feel anything other than fear and stress. And now it was all for nothing, because there was no more baby. I was emotionally confused, to say the least.

Edward was particularly distraught. He had grown very excited about becoming a father and was devastated by the news. While I was sitting there in the hospital bed, trying to process everything that was happening, he clung to me, smoothing down my hair and whispering sweet nothings in my ear as to comfort me, while in reality he was mostly comforting himself.

Carlisle had called my parents and when they showed up, Edward was nearly kicked out of the room by Charlie. He wasted no time in signing my release papers and taking me home, forbidding Edward to see or call me.

It had been like that for the past three days, and I was going crazy. Only Emmett was allowed to come over, and his visits were strictly supervised, so no messages could be passed along. It was ridiculously childish, but Charlie wouldn't be reasoned with.

So to add to everything I had been through, he also made me suffer it alone. Renee did her best in making me comfortable, taking care of me and trying to distract me, and I appreciated her efforts, but honestly, all I needed at that moment was Edward.

I could feel new tears well up in my eyes, but was also exhausted, so I finally drifted off into a restless sleep.

**o.O.o**

I don't know how long I had slept, but I woke up to a loud clamor coming from downstairs. Still half asleep, I quietly descended the stairs, only to be shocked awake by the sight before me. In the doorway, an obviously intoxicated Edward was struggling to get past Charlie, who was trying to push him back outside. Despite his drunken stupor, Edward still managed to make it difficult for Charlie to get rid of him. A few feet away from them, Renee tried to calm them both down. I couldn't hold back a startled yelp at the scene I was faced with, which caught Renee's attention. She tried to hold me back as I flew down the stairs and called Edward's name. Somehow he managed to muster some additional strength, because at that moment he pushed past Charlie and fell toward me. I caught him, but wasn't able to carry his weight, so I slid down the wall with him in my arms. He was clinging to me so tightly it was difficult to breathe, but compared to the suffocating feeling I'd had all week, it was heaven.

'Bella,' he sighed, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

Oh no, what had he done?

**o.O.o**

**Edward**

My head was pounding. I felt like I had been run over by a truck and then trampled by a bunch of deer. Or wolves. Death warmed over, or something like that. I rolled over, trying to find Bella in my bed, but it was empty. That was also probably the reason why I felt this fucked up; I had been deprived of my love for over three days.

When I finally managed to open my eyes, I noticed some of her clothes strewn around my room. I must have taken them out in my drunken haze, trying to feel closer to her… I didn't even remember that much from the night before; just that I was still wallowing over losing the baby and not being able to be with her, and feeling sorry for myself because of it.

What had happened?

Once I had managed to get out of bed without puking or falling over, I made my way downstairs. It must have still been quite early, because I heard Alice and Jasper talking in the kitchen. When I walked in, I noticed they weren't alone; Bella was with them.

How did she get here? Not that I was complaining, but Charlie had kept her on a tight leash all week…

I rushed over to her and tried to wrap my arms around her, but she jerked away from my touch.

'Don't touch me!' she shrieked.

'But B…'

'No!' she warned. 'I'm really upset and I need you to comfort me, but I'm so mad at you right now…'

This was so frustrating! I knew I had screwed up. I knew it the moment I woke up this morning. No – I knew it the moment I sought solace with Jack and Johnny because Charlie had made her unavailable to me. And now she wouldn't let me comfort her and make it right. What else was I supposed to do? I just stood there across from her, clenching and unclenching my fists, waiting for her to speak or let me come closer.

As I was watching her, I noticed how fragile she looked. She was terribly skinny and had dark circles under her eyes, like she hadn't slept in days. But what shocked me the most was how pale her skin looked. Bella was naturally fair-skinned, but usually she'd had a slight pink color in her cheeks, which deepened when she was embarrassed, out of breath, angry or aroused. Not now. She was pale as a sheet. Ashen, even. Now that my eyes had really focused, I noticed even her lips were void of any color. That couldn't be good.

When she finally addressed me, her voice was weak and soft, almost defeated.

'Don't you ever do that to me again. Do you have any idea how worried I was, how scared? You were drunk out of your mind, Edward, but you still got in your car. You got into a fight with Charlie, and then you passed out on me! I had to drag you to your car, and call Jasper to help me get you to your room. I didn't even know if you were alright or what had happened. I barely slept last night. I was so scared… but I need you… Just… don't do that, ever again, please?'

By then she had moved over to me and was holding on to me desperately, crying in my arms. This feeling was worse than any hangover. I had hurt my Bella, made her worry about me, and probably deteriorated our fucked up situation even further. Shit! What had I been thinking?

'Oh baby, I am so, so sorry,' was pretty much all I could say. 'I was so miserable, not being able to see you, and I just… I don't know. I'm stupid like that. Please don't be angry,' I pleaded.

'I'm not angry,' she sniffled. 'Not anymore. I was miserable too, you know. But you can't go around getting shitfaced and doing crazy things. You could've gotten hurt, or killed, Edward!'

'I know, I know,' I sighed. 'I promise it won't happen again.'

I tilted her face up with my finger and gently kissed her. Her lips felt cold to my touch, though there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead.

'Bella, are you alright?' I asked. 'You're awfully pale…'

'I'm fine, just tired. I haven't been… sleeping… too well lately…'

She was trying to hold herself together, but she was barely audible and fighting to keep her eyes open. Then, before I knew it, her face turned even paler, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed in my arms. I tried to wake her up, calling her name and shaking her slightly. She was unresponsive, but thankfully, still breathing. I started to panic, though, because I had no idea what was going on and Bella was still passed out. I picked her up and hastily carried her to my room, calling out for help. Jasper, who had discretely retreated from the kitchen during Bella's rant, came rushing towards me.

'Jazz, please, help! Bella fainted and she won't wake up. I don't know what to do!' I cried.

He took one look at her and immediately took charge, calling out for Esme and Alice to call my father and help me take care of Bella. I was glad he was there, because I was freaking out and he managed to calm me down sufficiently. I laid her down in my bed as Esme was on the phone, trying to reach my father. She asked me some questions about what had happened, relaying the information to him. After a few minutes, she handed the phone to me and I heard his calm and assuring voice.

'Son, I need you to bring Bella to the hospital so we can check her. Are you fit to drive?'

I honestly didn't trust myself behind the wheel; not only was I too worried about Bella, but I had also gotten completely wasted the night before and might quite possibly not have sobered up enough yet.

'Okay, then get Jasper to drive you. Esme will call Bella's parents and her school and I'll meet you when you get to the nurse's desk.'

I was grateful he took charge the way he did, and within minutes we were on our way to the hospital. I had situated myself in the backseat of my car with Bella. Her eyes were fluttering and she would occasionally come to a little, but she was too disoriented to know what was going on. I would whisper soft reassurances to her and she would pass out again.

**o.O.o**

When we got to the hospital, everything happened incredibly fast. My father met us at the door, quickly got Bella admitted and ushered me to the waiting room. Moments later, a very distraught Renee rushed in, running over to Esme and firing a million questions at her. Esme told her what little she know, and that calmed Renee down somewhat. She then turned around and let loose her ire on me.

'What were you thinking, Edward? Hasn't she been through enough already? What on earth did you do to land her in hospital twice in one week? You're lucky her father was stuck in a meeting… I've been so supportive of you… You've really disappointed me,' she ended, sobbing.

If I didn't feel like the world's biggest asshole already, I sure did now. She was right; I had managed to make things even worse. I just sat in my chair, head hung, shoulders slumped, taking it all, because I deserved it. When I looked up at her, wanting to offer some sort of shortcoming apology, she must have seen the utter desperation on my face, because she sat down beside me and put an arm around me.

'Oh sweet boy, I know this isn't your fault. But you scared me so much last night and I was so worried… I'm sure Bella will be alright. Just be careful around Charlie; he's more than angry with you.'

Just then, my father came in and immediately addressed Renee, 'She'll be fine.'

We both breathed sighs of relief, followed by seeking further explanations.

'What happened?' Renee.

I was less subtle: 'Bullshit, Dad. If she's fine, she wouldn't have collapsed in my arms and looked like a ghost.'

He shot me a stern look, which would usually be enough to make me back off, but I was too concerned to react in a normal way.

'Edward, will you please calm down? I get that you're scared, but I will explain everything once Bella wakes up. That way she'll understand what's going on, too. And anyway, I can't tell you anything without her consent, since you're not an immediate relative. I _can_ tell you, however, that exhaustion and stress caught up with her, coupled with an infection.'

I nodded, understanding his position and glad he at least told me something. But what kind of infection could she possibly have?

'Now Renee, if you could come with me; we've got some papers to fill out and I'll explain Bella's condition to you before we go see her. Edward, you can go to her room now, if you want.'

**o.O.o**

**Bella**

It took me a while to realize that the tropical forest I was running through wasn't actually real, but part of a feverish dream. The weird creatures appearing out of nowhere and the fact that I couldn't feel the ground or see my feet added to that realization. After a while I could faintly make out a familiar voice calling my name, and I found myself turning around and around, going in different directions, trying to find where it came from.

That voice.

_His _voice.

I knew this was part of the dream. He couldn't be wherever I was.

'B, love?' the voice spoke softly.

A shiver ran down my spine, despite the sweat running down my back. It was as if I could feel his breath on my neck as he whispered in my ear. This fever must have been making my dreams incredibly vivid. Instinctively I curled onto my side, searching out his voice. Reality started seeping in, and I could feel the sheets I was laying on.

'I think she's waking up,' I heard him say.

I felt someone gently wiping the sweat off my forehead. I sighed, knowing that when I allowed myself to push through this haze and wake up, he would be gone. I didn't want that yet. Charlie had kept him from me long enough; I wanted to bask in this hallucination a little while longer. Then, suddenly, I felt the bed shift next to me and I was lifted up slightly. The next thing I knew, strong arms were holding me and I heard his heart beating against my ear. I chanced it, and slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was the faded grey Stoli t-shirt I had seen on him so many times, and that I sometimes stole off him to sleep in. When I looked up, I was met with his beautiful green eyes, looking at me with such love and concern, my breath caught.

Was he really here?

It wasn't a dream?

Then I remembered: Edward had showed up at my house, drunk, and I had taken him home. I had gotten angry with him and wasn't feeling well, and then I had the dream about the rainforest. What had happened?

My mind could only focus on one thing at a time, though, and in that moment, all I could think of was that Edward was here, with me. I tried to sit up so I could snuggle in closer, but a searing pain in my side prevented that.

'Shh, love, be careful,' he cooed. 'You're pretty sick. Just relax. I'm here, and it's going to be fine.'

After I had settled down again, I noticed there were more people in the room.

'Where am I?' I asked, and Carlisle approached me.

'You're in the hospital, Bella. You fainted this morning and I had Edward bring you here, just to be sure.'

'What's wrong with me?'

'I've already informed your mother, but if you want me to explain things to you now, with Edward here as well, I'll need your consent for that.'

'Of course. I want him to know.'

Edward hugged me closer and kissed the top of my head.

'Well, it appears as though you've lost a substantial amount of blood when you miscarried last week. This weakened you and also made you slightly anemic for the time being. You'll need to take supplements until your blood values are back to normal again. Also, the pain you're feeling in your side, and the fever are caused by an infection known as pyelitis.'

'How did I get that?' I asked.

'You've probably had a urinary tract infection a while ago, which may've gone by unnoticed. Sometimes they'll clear up by themselves, but sometimes, if not detected and treated, it can move up to your kidneys and infect the tissue surrounding them. That's what happened here, and the combination of the anemia, pyelitis and stress, caused you to collapse this morning. I've prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics for you, and with some rest, you should be feeling better within a few days. Feel free to take some Tylenol to help with the fever or the pain.'

That didn't sound too bad, even though at the moment I felt like I had been run over by a truck.

'Will I have to stay here, then?'

'No, you can go home later today, once we've run a couple more tests.'

'Good. I hate hospitals. No offence.'

He chuckled, so similar to Edward, 'None taken. You just make sure you get better. You gave us quite the scare.'

**o.O.o**

A few hours later, I was in my room, propped up against my pillows, while Renee bustled around in the kitchen to make me a snack I could stomach. Edward had gone home to pack a bag, since he would be staying with me. Charlie had balked at first, but I had threatened him I wouldn't even come home if he wouldn't let Edward come over.

'Daddy, we're miserable without each other. That's part of why I'm so sick now. I need him, and he needs me, to get through this.'

It had taken a lot of pleading from me, and a long talk between him, Edward and Carlisle, but eventually he allowed Edward to stay, with the explicit condition that we wouldn't engage in any 'funny business'. I had held back my laughter, because even though I was too sick to even entertain the thought, I could tell he was dead serious about it. I knew he was concerned about me, but it was about time he accepted the fact that Edward was in my life and made me happy.

**o.O.o**

Later that night, I found myself enveloped by Edward's warm body as I drifted off into the first relatively peaceful sleep in a long time. Being sick with a high fever was actually favorable to being deprived of him. As I relaxed into his embrace and let my body succumb to sleep, I let out a contented sigh. His grip on me tightened and I could feel him shaking slightly, as if he were shivering. I turned my head, looking to see if I could help him, and was met with the most heartbreaking sight.

Edward wasn't shivering; he was crying softly.

'Baby!' I exclaimed, rolling over and wrapping my arms around him, ignoring the pain in my body. 'What's wrong?'

He held on to me, burying his face in my neck as he whispered dejectedly, 'I almost lost both of you…'

That's when it hit me: he had really been looking forward to this baby, and now that was taken away from him; and then he nearly lost me in the aftermath. Okay, it hadn't been life threatening, but he couldn't have known that at the time.

I hadn't know I wanted it until it was too late, but now it was painfully clear: I wanted it all with Edward. He was it for me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Awww… don't you just want to hug them both? I know some of you might want to strangle me for putting them through this, but believe me, this needed to happen. You'll find out why in later outtakes.**

**As for the pyelitis: I've had it twice, the first time more severe than the second. It can be quite dangerous, though, and I've heard of acquaintances who've been in the ICU because of it, but Bella's case wasn't as bad. It is true that a UTI can go undetected; I never have the common symptoms, so need to be pretty watchful. That's how I got it the first time; I just didn't notice.**

**Well, enough pee talk – I just wanted to offer a little bit of an explanation.**

**By the way, Carlisle's explanation is an almost exact translation of what my doctor told me when I got it.**

**Let me know what you thought of this episode in their lives.**

**And: what scenes of**_** BFaS**_** would you like to see an outtake of?**

**So far, I'm looking at about 13-15 more future takes, but I'm not opposed to offering some more perspective into the story up to this point.**

**So, hit that review button and share your thoughts with me!**


	5. Spring Break Shenanigans – part 1

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer and Summit own **_**Twilight**_** and anything associated with it. If I were to own it, it would defo NOT be PG-13. Instead, I'm just having fun with the characters – especially my scruffy version of Edward :p Gives me a valid excuse to ogle pics of The Pretty… not that I need the excuse, but you'll catch my drift.**

**A/N Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but this chapter took a little longer to write, both because of its length – which is why I cut it in two – but also because I've been quite busy with all the traveling, working and surfing. Also, I've been reading a lot lately.**

**Alright, so for the last few chapters, Edward and Bella have been through hell and back. I thought it would be only fair to let them have some fun now, so we're fast-forwarding to Spring Break. Big ass A/N at the end of part 2 will provide additional information for those interested.**

**Oh, by the way, have y'all read my winning Iron Pen (October 2011) entry, **_**A Horrific Wedding Eve**_**? It's only about 875 words, so if you haven't yet, please head on over and let me know what you think of it…**

**A little heads up before we get started: our lovely couple will be away from parental supervision, meaning there will be copious amounts of sexy times in this chapter, so keep it away from little eyes.**

* * *

><p><strong>Spring Break Shenanigans – part 1<strong>

**Bella**

There were a few things that changed after the pregnancy/pyelitis debacle. For one, it was now clear for everyone that Edward and I were serious and just how deep our bond was. He had proposed when we had found out I was pregnant and I had refused at the time, but I knew that next time I would say yes. We both also knew, however, that we didn't need to get married right away – there was no rush.

Charlie had finally given up fighting his presence and Renee at some point had compared us to magnets: 'You orient yourself around him without even thinking about it. He moves, you move. It's intense.'

Another thing that changed was that, as soon as my period had returned and I was off antibiotics, I had started taking birth control, so we could quit using condoms when we started having sex again.

Other than that, things returned to normal pretty quickly. Alice was the only one at school who knew about the pregnancy – I hadn't even gotten the chance to tell Jessica and Angela yet when everything went wrong. As far as everyone else was concerned, I had suffered from a nasty infection, which technically wasn't untrue.

**o.O.o**

By the time Spring Break rolled around, we were all pretty excited about taking a vacation. I had gotten used to the Seattle climate fairly well, since it was so similar to London, except more rain, but after months of it, I was ready for some sunshine and heat. It just so happened that there was a full moon coming up, so we decided to go to Thailand.

Jessica and Mike opted out, seeing as they had just sort of broken up again – it was hard to keep up with their ever-changing relationship status – and, understandably, didn't want things to blow up in a faraway country.

Jasper and Emmett made all of the arrangements, and on Friday afternoon, Renee, Charlie, Carlisle, Esme and Ben's parents drove us to SeaTac for the first part of our journey. We had a lay-over in Los Angeles, and after countless hours of traveling, we finally arrived in Bangkok, where we would stay for two nights. We passed immigrations, collected our bags and suitcases and piled into some of the most colorful taxis I had ever seen. Jasper saw to it that every driver received the correct address. I was glad we hadn't rented cars here, because Bangkok traffic was crazy, to say the least.

After about forty-five minutes we pulled into a small side street lined with tuktuks, tourists and stalls selling anything from food to clothes and souvenirs. We stopped in front of a Seven Eleven, a small pharmacy and a tailor. Jasper, Alice, Rosalie and Emmett were already waiting for us, and moments later Ben and Angela arrived as well. Jasper lead the way down a short alley, past a small pond, until we reached the open reception area of our hotel. After we had checked in, we made our way to our rooms, agreeing to meet later for dinner.

Edward's and mine _deluxe double_ was a rather simple room, but offered a TV with international movie channels, a hair dryer, air conditioner and a warm shower. I had learned that these were all luxuries over here when traveling, so I appreciated their presence.

Edward deposited our suitcases underneath the window overlooking the small temple as I dropped my handbag on the vanity, before shutting and locking the door.

'What do you think?' he asked, watching me warily. 'I know it's not the Hilton or whatever, but the guys insisted this is the better location, close to the Grand Palace, temples and Khao San Road.'

I walked over to him and snaked my arms around his waist.

'It's great. I'm sure they compared a ton of places. And I wouldn't care if we were staying in a rundown old place, as long as I get to share a room with you.'

He smiled, 'Just a room?'

'Well, there's a bed, of course,' I teased. 'But first I need a shower. I feel disgusting after traveling so long.'

'Can I join you?' he asked.

I rolled my eyes, then kissed him indulgently.

'Of course, baby, that's a given. I've been without you for far too long; I intend on sharing all my showers with you during this trip.'

We shed our clothes, retrieved our toiletries and christened the bathroom. Edward took me against the counter, our eyes locking in the mirror, which was steadily being fogged up by our ragged breaths, relief and desire mixed on both our faces. Afterwards, we washed the sweat and grime off each other. He made sure I was thoroughly clean, leaving me on wobbly knees and a panting mess, before wrapping me in a towel and carrying me to the soft queen-size bed. Turning on the TV, he located one of the movie channels that was currently showing the latest _Spider-Man_ movie and we snuggled together under the covers. I barely made it through two scenes before sleep overtook me.

That little bathroom escapade was the first time Edward and I had had sex after I had miscarried and gotten sick, and even though it wasn't all that romantic, it was very emotionally charged. We had waited until we were sure it would be safe, and despite lots of fooling around, making out and plenty of blowjobs, we had both gotten increasingly frustrated as time wore on and I still had been somewhat out of commission. But on the other hand I think we were also a little scared. The last time we had made love had been so fundamentally different, knowing we were going to have a baby, and we had both suffered breakdowns after that. In the end, though, our need for each other was stronger than any fears we had.

We made up for that quick and somewhat dirty round of sex when I woke up from my nap. I was halfway dressed for dinner, brushing my teeth in the bathroom, when he came in, stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me, placing a gentle kiss in my neck. When I was finished, he rid me of my top, picked me up and carried me back to bed, where he carefully laid me down and covered my body with his own, then claimed me as his once more. It wasn't just about the physical need that time; our eyes, shining with tears, stayed locked the whole time and he gently kissed me in between long, slow thrusts. I felt so loved and cherished then…

Right before he came, he whispered, 'You're mine.'

It was possessive, but in a revering sort of way. Somehow I knew that he meant it as me choosing him instead of him taking me, although for me, those two were inseparably tied.

'I'm yours,' I answered as he collapsed in my arms, happy tears rolling down my cheeks and mixing with our sweat.

Suffice it to say we were late for dinner.

**o.O.o**

Dinner was quite lovely, despite our fatigue. I'd had Thai food plenty of times before, but nothing compared to the real thing. No four star restaurant could hold a candle to the _tam yum_ soup, green curry and _pad thai_ chicken we ate at the little family operated place we went to that night. Afterwards, we walked through an alley lined with shops to Khao San Road. It was amazing how busy that street was, even at night. There were shops, people, stalls and carts everywhere, and different tunes every thirty feet. The guys had to literally pull us away from the beautiful, brightly colored, not to mention insanely cheap clothes. That was, until they noticed the t-shirts with various funny prints. In the end, we decided to buy some now and do some more shopping before we would go home. Emmett got an _I-Pood_ shirt that had us all cracking up, Alice got an oversized white tank top with a _Little Miss Falloutboy_ print, and Rosalie bought a beautiful blue and teal halter mini-dress. Edward chose a thin grey hoodie with a Buddha print that looked like a woodcut, while I got a loose-fitting white t-shirt with a cutout neckline that said _I heart my boyfriend_. Emmett rolled his eyes at that one, but Rosalie smacked his arm and said it was a cute thing to do. Angela and Ben got matching shirts with arrows pointing at each other. One of the best shirts there was the one Jasper got. It resembled a band t-shirt, proclaiming the _World Destruction Tour_ of a band called _The Killers_. Pictured as the band were Bush, Hitler, Bin Laden and Castro. Because we got all the items at the same shop, we were able to negotiate a discount and ended up paying only about twenty-five dollars for it all.

After we stuffed our purchases in Alice's huge bag, we found a seat at one of the little street bars. It was basically just a cart full of liquor, a cooler filled with sodas and beer, a bunch of plastic stools and folding tables and a radio, but they didn't check IDs and offered a variety of cocktails and a good atmosphere.

'Dude!' Emmett shouted as we were perusing the menu. 'We've got to try one of those Samsung things I've heard people talk about.'

He meant a Sangsom bucket, and it turned out to be a great choice. At seven dollars a piece, we easily got our drink on.

Not quite used to drinking, the buckets hit me pretty hard and combined with some residual jetlag, I was ready for bed around midnight. But I wasn't the only one affected – even the guys were slurring their words. When Alice pointed out a scrawny guy in a multicolored jumpsuit and huge sunglasses driving a riksha worthy of a gay pride parade, I lost it and we dissolved into a fit of giggles.

**o.O.o**

**Edward**

Drunk Bella was hilarious.

She was pointing out things and people that amused her, but would laugh even more trying to explain them, leaving me confused yet highly entertained. At one point she had started making silly faces at Alice, who was laughing so hard she had actually fallen off her stool, and at that moment the family resemblance to Emmett was even clearer. Alice had tried to climb back on her stool, but the plastic was slippery and she was drunk, so it had taken her a few tries, which had only added to the hilarity. She had then started lecturing Jasper about his duties as a doting boyfriend – and yes, she had uttered those exact words.

'You're not supposed to laugh at me,' she had slurred. 'Stop laughing, Jazzy, it's not funny!'

'Oh come on, Pix,' he had replied in between bouts of laughter. 'It is a little funny…'

'No, it's not! If you don't stop making fun of me, I'm cutting you off for the rest of this trip!'

That had seemed to do the trick and Jasper had rushed to pick up his drunk and enraged girlfriend off the floor, pulling her onto his lap, and had started apologizing. I couldn't help but call him whipped in between coughs, to which he had simply smiled mischievously, whispering something in Alice's ear. I probably didn't even want to know what he had promised her, but her reaction had spoken volumes.

'Right, uhm… we're going back to the hotel… to _sleep_… because I'm _tired_.'

Let's just say I was glad our room wasn't next to theirs.

After they had left, Bella had quickly made sure any disturbing thoughts concerning my sister and my best friend were soon forgotten, by ordering us another bucket and whispering seductive promises in my ear. She was slurring slightly, but the message was crystal clear: not only was drunk Bella hilarious, she was also very horny and liked to talk dirty.

I wasted no time in staggering back to the hotel, my girlfriend safely tucked under my arm.

**o.O.o**

As we reached our floor, Bella started groping me while I tried to find the key to get us to our room as quickly as possible. I steered her inside, put the _Do not disturb_ sign on the door and locked it, only to find Bella half naked, struggling to take off her underwear. I tried to help her, but she started taking my clothes off, making it nearly impossible for me to unclasp her bra.

'Baby, hold still for a sec,' I laughed.

'But I want to get you naked,' she pouted.

I tilted her chin up, 'Let's get you there first, alright?'

'Okay,' she grinned happily.

It took me a few tries as well, because let's face it, I was also pretty far gone, but finally I managed to take it off. She danced out of my arms, however, confusing me a little.

'B…' I complained.

'You. Strip,' she ordered, flopping down on the bed but not taking her eyes off me. 'I want to ogle my sexy boyfriend while he gets naked.'

Not one to deny her anything, I quickly got to work, kicking off my flip-flops and hurriedly starting to unbutton my shorts.

'Ah ah ah,' she sang. 'Go slow. I want to enjoy this.'

When I looked up at her, I saw what she meant; she had scooted up against the headboard, her feet flat on the bed, her legs spread, and was massaging her right breast while her left hand was languidly moving between her legs. It was by far the sexiest thing I had ever seen and I felt myself grow even harder than I had already been.

'Anything to please my girl,' I said huskily, and let my shorts drop to the floor.

I then reached behind me and lifted my shirt over my head, taking care to flex my abs for her enjoyment. I threw the shirt at her and it landed between her feet. She picked it up and slowly dragged it up her body in a most erotic move, never stopping the motions of her left hand. I licked my lips at the sight.

The need to touch her was almost unbearable, but I wanted to give her the show she had requested first, so I hooked my thumbs in the waistband of my boxers and inched them down, all the while keeping my eyes locked with hers. Luckily, I wasn't one of those guys who couldn't get it up after a few drinks. Rather, it made me last longer. My cock was already proudly standing to attention. Bella's sharp intake of breath told me when her eyes had travelled down my body and landed there. Encouraged by that and by her own ongoing motions, I gripped myself and slowly stroked up and down. Bella moaned. I felt one side of my mouth curl up into a smug grin.

'So you like that, huh?' I teased her.

'Yes,' she breathed.

'Baby, you look so sexy when you're touching yourself like that. Do you see how hard you make me?'

She nodded.

'Damn, I need to touch you. Do you want that?'

'Yes. Please.'

'Tell me what you want.'

'I need your cock deep in my pussy,' she moaned.

She had a slight lisp due to all the alcohol she had consumed, and the sound went straight to my cock. I knew she liked it when I talked dirty to her, but it was amazing hearing the words fall from her lips instead.

'You want this?' I asked as I pumped a little harder.

'Yes! Edward…'

Her chest was heaving and she was rubbing herself furiously. I decided not to keep her waiting any longer and crawled up the bed toward her. She reached for me, trying to pull me closer, but I shook my head at her.

'Not so fast, baby girl. There's something else I need to do first.'

With that, I took her left hand and sucked her fingers into my mouth. I could taste her on them, and I wanted more. I pushed her knees a little further apart and reached out my hand, pushing a finger in, pulling it out, circling her clit, then licking it clean. Next, I looked at her intently and beckoned her, 'Watch,' before leaning in and putting my mouth on her.

I had never been a huge fan of going down on a girl before Bella, though I had loved getting blowjobs – selfish, I know. But that was just the way I had always acted. Not anymore, though. With Bella, I loved touching her like this. The way I could feel her muscles squeeze around my fingers and tongue, how she would squirm under my touch, pushing herself up against my mouth in a way of asking for more, the sexy little sounds she would make, the way her legs would tremble when she was about to come… I reveled in it and knowing I could make her feel this way filled me with a most primal sense of pride. She was mine, and she would let me do this for her.

It didn't take long for Bella to reach her climax. When she had caught her breath, she started giggling again, then yawned.

'Sleepy?' I asked.

'A little,' she admitted. 'That was amazing, baby. I love your tongue.'

'I'm not done with you yet, B,' I warned her. 'I really need to be inside you.'

I was lightly touching her to emphasize my point, and could feel the increase of moisture at my words.

_No answer needed. Her body says it all._

She pulled my face to hers and kissed me deeply, pushing her body up to meet mine. I rolled us over so I was on my back and she was straddling me, then gripped her hips to lift her up and align myself with her.

'Ride me, baby girl.'

She put her hands on my shoulders, kissed me and sank down on me. We both moaned at the sensation; within her I was home and we were one. She started grinding her hips as I played with her breasts. The feeling was exquisite, but I needed more, so after a few minutes of that, I moved my hands down to her hips and told her to sit up.

'I want to see you play with your tits as you bounce on my cock.'

I guided her up and down, setting the pace, and when she picked it up, I moved my thumb to her clit, rubbing in time with her movements. I could feel that she was about to come again, so I increased the pressure on her clit, sending her over the edge. I had to still her hips and push mine up in order to stay inside her, she was squeezing me so hard. When she had recovered, I wanted her to start moving again, but the exertion of being on top was obviously too much for her at that point. I sat up and kissed her, hugging her to me.

It was then that I noticed the dresser with the large vanity opposite the bed. I lifted her off me and told her to turn around on her knees and look in the mirror. I positioned myself behind her, moving her hair to the side and kissing her shoulder as I snaked my arms around her. She had gotten waxed the day before we left, which meant she was soft and smooth and I could see her flesh, pink and glistening and ready for me. After I had tested to find that she was still wet enough, and had teased her for a bit while I was at it, I pushed back into her, making sure she could see it in the mirror. My movements were a little restricted in this position, but what I lost in depth I gained in friction, and I knew it wouldn't be long this time. I could already feel the first tightening of muscles, signaling I was close. But I wanted her to come once more; it was just that male pride thing, knowing I could make her come several times in one session… My right hand reached across her body, gripping her left breast almost roughly, and she hissed as I pinched her nipple.

'You okay?' I whispered.

In answer, she arched her back, pushing her breast more into my palm.

'Yes… that feels so good…'

My other hand reached down to where we were joined, fingering her sparkling belly ring on the way down, and I could feel myself sliding in and out of her.

'Bella…' I said, and bit her earlobe while massaging her breast, thrusting faster and rubbing her clit.

'Again?' she sighed.

'Yes, baby. I can tell you're close and I need you to come again. Don't you know how gorgeous you are when you come?'

She moaned and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against my shoulder.

'I… can't… too… much…'

'Bella, open your eyes,' I commanded.

She snapped her head back up and locked eyes with me in the mirror.

'Look at me touching you. Can you feel that? Do you see my cock moving in your pussy? Do you feel how hard I am? That's all because of you. You are so incredibly sexy, baby girl.'

She moaned again and closed her eyes.

'Keep looking at me,' I told her. 'Look at us, connected. Look at me, fucking you and touching you.'

I could feel her muscles contracting around me and my own orgasm was also rapidly approaching.

'Bella,' I growled close to her ear as I rubbed tight circles. 'Please come for me.'

I sucked on the spot between her neck and her shoulder and thrust a little harder.

'Oh my… Edward!' she cried out.

That was all it took for me and I fell over the edge with her, grunting through my own release and my jaws clenched shut. I stayed inside her for a few moments longer, sitting back on my heels and keeping Bella, who was sagging against me with fatigue, in my lap. When I felt myself going soft, I pulled out of her and carefully laid her down on the bed. She was already almost asleep. After turning down the air conditioning somewhat, I snuggled in next to her and pulled the sheet around us.

'Edward?' she murmured sleepily.

'Yes, love?'

'That was incredible.'

I didn't really know how to respond to that without sounding like a cocky bastard, so I just kissed the top of her head and hugged her to me.

**o.O.o**

**Bella**

_I'm never going to drink again,_ I thought as I found myself more familiar with the toilet bowl than I cared for.

What had I been thinking? I never drank back home, aside from the occasional beer Emmett would let me have at his place. But last night I'd had, what, how many buckets? I honestly didn't know. We were sharing them, and we were never without. And that wasn't beer. That was rum. And some very strong Redbull. Heaving into the bowl again, I chastised myself.

_Bad Bella. Very bad Bella._

I was surprised Edward hadn't woken up yet, considering the disgusting noises I was making.

When my stomach was finally empty, I scrambled to my feet and moved over to the sink to splash some water in my face and brush my teeth.

_What the hell?_

I looked a mess. Obvious, disheveled sex hair, smudged make up, swollen lips, some bruises along my hips. Nothing unusual, especially when Edward had been a little rough with me. But what shocked me was the mark on my left shoulder. I leaned toward the mirror to get a closer look. It wasn't a hickey. Well, it was, but there was something else in there as well.

_No fucking way!_

I stalked into the bedroom and pounced on Edward, still passed out in the bed. He jolted awake and almost automatically grabbed hold of me, trying to kiss me, but I pulled back.

'Bella,' he groaned.

I smacked his shoulder.

'Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! Would you care to explain yourself?'

He looked confused, still waking up – and probably also sobering up. I pointed at the mark on my shoulder.

'You bit me!'

To his credit, he did look rather mortified at the revelation and started to apologize in between kisses to the injured location.

'Oh honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize… Did I hurt you?'

I thought back to the night before – made even easier by his touch and his kisses – and saw again the image of myself in the mirror, wanton and wanted, Edward's hands on me and the way I had felt when he had made me come again and again. The memory caused a rush of heat to flow through me and I found myself flushed and breathing more heavily as his lips ghosted across my skin.

'Actually… no,' I answered. 'But this is going to be difficult to cover up, you know? It's not like the bruises on my hips…'

He looked a little embarrassed, but also smug.

'You like that, don't you?' I accused.

'Seeing my mark on you? Baby, I hate to see you bruised. But honestly? It's such a turn on at the same time!'

I thought about that for a moment and had to admit that I sort of liked the physical evidence of our passion for each other.

'Alright, I get it,' I conceded. 'But it's a little unfair that I'm the only one with a mark.'

He tilted his head to the side, 'Give it your best shot, then.'

'What?'

'Go ahead: mark me.'

**o.O.o**

'Dude, what happened to you?' Jasper laughed when we met up with the others for breakfast, pointing at the impressively sized hickey I'd left on the side of Edward's neck.

'Eew, Edward, that's so tacky!' Alice shrieked.

He just shrugged, a cocky grin on his face.

'I don't care. I like having her mark on me.'

'Bella, come here for a sec,' Rosalie whispered.

She removed the thin purple scarf with silver embroidery from around her neck and tied it around mine.

'You might want to cover that bite mark before Em sees it and starts lecturing Edward again on how to treat his sister.'

I shot her a grateful smile.

'Thanks, Rose. I hadn't thought of that.'

'Don't worry about it. Besides, the purple looks good with your outfit.'

Taking the _Lonely Planet_'s advice, I had decided to wear a black linen strapless jumpsuit that covered my knees, and thrown a cardigan into my bag for visits to temples, where my shoulders needed to be covered. Edward had it easy; he simply wore gray linen pants, his black Converse and a green T-shirt that looked amazing against his bronze hair.

**o.O.o**

We spent the day visiting some of the major sites in the area: the Grand Palace and its temple complex, and the reclining Buddha in Wat Pho, where we made a donation by buying a roof tile and inscribing it with a wish. Mine said, _To always be this happy_, and Edward smiled when he read it. He didn't want anyone to read his, though, claiming he didn't want to jinx it.

After a quick lunch, bought from a stall on the street, we took a ferry across the river and climbed the steep steps of Wat Arun to enjoy the magnificent view over the city. After that, we took another ferry, docking close to our hotel. On the water, Ben, who had been very quiet all day, suddenly rushed toward the railing and heaved the contents of his stomach into the river.

'Those buckets finally catching up with you?' Emmett laughed, which earned him a dirty look from Angela.

Ben hadn't drank nearly as much as the rest of us, plus he hadn't been tired or hung over like we had been.

'Whatever it is,' Jasper said. 'He'll feel better with some water and food. We'll go get a snack when we get back.'

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to help and Ben started feeling even worse.

When we got back to the hotel, Alice, Rosalie and I changed into our bikinis and headed for the rooftop pool, while Edward called Carlisle to see if he could help make Ben feel better. After nearly two hours, the guys finally joined us by the pool.

'Ben's got food poisoning,' Edward declared.

'How'd he manage that?' Alice asked.

'Probably the spaghetti he had for lunch. With those stalls it's better to get the Thai food, because they know how to cook that.'

'So what now?' I asked.

'Well, I took Angela to the pharmacy to get him some medicines. You should see the amount of pills they gave us!' he laughed. 'He doesn't feel up to traveling, though, so they want to stay in Bangkok for the rest of the week. I've already told Em and Jazz so they can arrange it.'

'Poor Ang,' I said. 'Are you sure they'll be alright?'

'Definitely. They'll just stay here and when Ben feels better, they can do some more sightseeing. I told him to stick to the Thai food, though.'

**o.O.o**

That night, we had dinner in a restaurant down the street, taking a reluctant Angela with us.

'I'm not sure about leaving Ben alone,' she had said when we had picked her up at their room.

Ben looked weak and positively green, but he had insisted he could manage by himself for a few hours.

'I'll text you if I need anything,' he had promised. 'Go out and have some fun. They're leaving tomorrow.'

We ended up at the same street bar as the night before, where the funniest thing happened. A few tables over was a group of guys and a couple of what appeared to be Thai girls. The girls were flirting with all the guys in the group, and one of them seemed very eager to take the bait. At one point, the girl in question, wearing a sinfully short jean skirt and a pink top with the word _Fake_ scrawled over her chest, walked past our table and knelt down to whisper something to Rosalie, who started laughing and high-fived the girl.

'What?' Emmett asked, confused.

'She, or I should rather say _he_, complimented me on my outfit and our choice of male company,' she explained. 'Then said the guy in the hat will be up for a surprise when they get to his room.'

I don't think any of us understood what she meant right away, so she leaned forward conspiratorially.

'She's a ladyboy.'

'No way!' Alice said. 'But… she's so pretty!'

'Just look,' Rosalie instructed, and waved at the girl, who smiled back at us as her hand inched up the guy's thigh.

Sure enough, you could see a slight shadow on her throat where her adam's apple was, and her build was a little on the masculine side, too.

'How can you be sure, though?' Jasper questioned.

'Well, other than that she basically told me; her voice.'

'Really?'

'Trust me.'

Only minutes later, the girl in question and the guy left, him stumbling, leaving their table in hoots of laughter and cat calls.

When we were all sufficiently inebriated, Emmett of all people spoke up as the voice of reason.

'Right, people, it's time for bed. We need to check out in the morning and I doubt all of us are packed yet.'

'What time do we leave?' I asked.

'Our bus leaves at six, but we need to leave our rooms by eleven.'

'You can put your bags in our room before you go,' Angela offered.

'Great,' Emmett smiled. 'So we meet up at Ang and Ben's room at ten thirty. If you want to have another drink, that's fine, but I'm taking my girl to bed,' he finished, waggling his eyebrows for added effect.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Part 2 will be posted later this week.**

**How excited are y'all for BD? I'm seriously buzzing! I'll be meeting up this Wednesday evening with VampGirl and Demons4eva and a bunch of other fandom girls here in Melbourne to watch Eclipse, followed by a midnight screening. So basically, we'll be among the first of the regular audience (like, not press/studio related peeps) to see it!**


	6. Spring Break Shenanigans – part 2

**Disclaimer: SM and Summit still own. I do not. Please, don't copy this, though, because I've put a lot of work into it. Stealing is still stealing.**

**A/N So, I indulged in Twihardness (and yes, pun defo intended) last night with some of my Melbourne girls, Jen (demons4eva), Mel (VampGirl) and Alysha (alehhhh). We went to see Eclipse first, to get in the mood, then went up to the **_**La Premiere**_** area of the cinema, which is sort of a VIP thingy. You get loveseats with a little table and more legroom, table service, and a great view of the screen. Defo worth the extra money.**

**I had been searching all week for a suitable shirt to wear, but for some reason, Twi merc is hard to come by in the Melbourne CBD. So instead, I channeled Kristen and opted for shorts, a white top, plaid shirt, insanely high wedges, (fake) Wayfarers and black nailpolish. I mean, gotta look the part, right?**

**OMG. I can probably go on and on about every little detail, but that would make this A/N even longer than this chapter, so I'm going to try and reign it in a little bit and highlight a few bits and pieces, as I'm sure you've all seen the movie, too, by now and know what I'm talking about.**

**I liked the pre-wedding bits where Edward was telling Bella about his rebel past. Didn't he look dashing? I just wish they'd've found a way to work in some human Edward. I'd love to have seen him with green eyes.**

**When Emmett and Jasper came to pick him up, that was a great brotherly scene and I really liked the careless, happy tones of that.**

**The wedding? I love weddings! Given that SM had the final say in the wedding dress, I think we can all be very lucky. Kristen looked gorgeous in it, and the chemistry during that scene? I was fanning myself and going 'aw' all at once. It was a good mix of romance, sentimental stuff and humor, just the way a wedding should be.**

**The honeymoon… Can I just swoon? They were so lovey-dovey together, and I liked the bits where you could see Edward was struggling to not rip Bella's clothes off.**

**And there was thrusting and bed breaking, people! Thrusting, naked backp0rn. 'Nuff said.**

**That 'oops' moment when Bella woke up and took in all the damage around her was priceless. Then, her observing herself in the mirror, remembering the night before… so cute, true, innocent, adorable, there are no words. Edward just needs to realize that sex bruises are good bruises.**

**Some of the wolf bits were a bit awkward to me. Like, that whole telepathic conversation? IDK… looked a bit cartoon-esque. Don't know how they could've made that work, though, so we'll just leave it at that. But the development of Leah's character was good; it made her more human and understandable.**

**Equally awkward were Jasper's and Carlisle's hair. What was up with that?**

**My heart broke for Edward during the scene with the X-ray, where he's telling Bella how she's killing herself and he's losing her, giving him no choice. He looked and sounded so distraught…**

**You could defo tell they had a big budget to work with, espec with the CGI and make up (just not for some of the wigs, apparently), as they did an excellent job at making Bella look emaciated. And then the transformation… well done! Like, showing her internal struggle as she was so still outwardly. And how her skin and hair changed… she's a gorgeous vampire! Those eyes! Can't wait to see her in full vamp mode next year!**

**To conclude, I must stress how much I enjoyed the links between the previous movies, especially **_**Twilight**_**. The song during the wedding being the same song as during prom? Perfect! Oh and that kiss… And then during Bella's transformation, reflecting back on what brought her to that point, even Charlie and Renee bringing a baby Bella home…**

**Will definitely go and see that movie again. Soon!**

**Now, without any further ado, here's part two of my human Bella and Edward's Thai Spring Break. Enjoy.**

**Spring Break Shenanigans – part 2**

**Edward**

'Bus?' Alice practically shrieked. 'No one said anything about a twelve-hour bus ride! I don't do bus!'

'To be fair, Emmett did say you were taking a bus,' Angela pointed out, earning her a glare from Alice.

'Not helping,' she hissed.

'Pix, sweetie,' Jasper said as he rubbed her arms and looked at her pleadingly. 'It's all part of the adventure, remember? I'll be there with you all the time. You have nothing to worry about.'

'Promise?' she asked in a small voice.

He smiled and kissed her.

Trust my sister to throw a fit about something as mundane as traveling by bus for a change; but trust Jasper to actually diffuse the situation. I just sighed and rolled my eyes, taking care not to show her, and thanked my lucky stars that my girlfriend wasn't so fussy. But then Rosalie admitted she wasn't too keen on a bus trip either. What was it with these girls? Luckily, Emmett offered a solution.

'We can't cancel this bus, because it's already paid for. But it's one way, so I don't see any reason why we can't get a flight back, if that would make you more comfortable. Does that sound alright?'

Everyone nodded.

'Good. Then let us worry about the bags and stuff tonight.'

That basically meant securely locking all our bags and suitcases and putting our passports and money in moneybelts.

The bus wasn't too bad. If it weren't for the frilly lace curtains it actually looked like Hugh Hefner could have customized it: black and red leather padded ceiling and chairs, blue lights along the aisle and two huge flatscreens that showed ripped copies of the new _Fast and Furious_ movie and some outdated Steven Seagal action flick. We took up six chairs in the front of the bus, which offered some more leg room, and settled in for the long drive.

We used the night stop to use the bathrooms, and upon seeing the squat holes, I was already dreading my sister's whining. Imagine my surprise to see her sitting with Bella, both of them quietly munching on the Subway sandwiches we had bought before leaving. I guess she had decided to be more mature about things and embrace the adventure Jasper had promised her.

About halfway through the second movie I looked over to my right and saw Bella was dozing off in her window seat. We had already reclined our seats as far as they would go, but her head was lolling towards the window, and that couldn't be comfortable, so as gently as I could, I coaxed her onto her side and wrapped my arms around her, her back to my chest. She snuggled in closer and I leaned my head down to nuzzle her hair. Her cardigan had slipped a little off her shoulder, exposing the fading bite mark I had left there a couple of nights before. As I ghosted a few kisses on her skin, I couldn't help but think about the conversation we'd had about it. It had taken me some time to get over the fear of hurting her, but now that I knew that wasn't the case, I really enjoyed seeing my mark on her.

_Too bad this one will fade…_

Well, she did say she wanted a tattoo when she turned eighteen. Maybe she'd want to get one together.

_Cross my fingers for that._

With that thought, I pulled the blankets that were provided tighter around us and settled in for the night.

A mere three hours later, I found myself wide awake again, unable to fall back asleep. Bella was still sleeping peacefully, so I tried to stay as still as possible, watching her sleep just that little while longer. These two days would be long and tiring, anyway, with all the traveling.

_Definitely flying back to Bangkok. There's no way we can do this again._

Around five-thirty Bella stirred and started to wake up, which was actually really good timing, since we were approaching Surat Thani. Upon arrival there, we were told another bus would pick us up in an hour to get to the boat. Luckily, there was a little shop-slash-restaurant and we bought some sandwiches and coffee to tie us over. Bella snuggled on my lap and dozed for a bit, as did Alice on Jasper's lap and Emmett on Rosalie's shoulder.

The boat ride was much more comfortable, as we were lounging on deck and soaking up the sun during the two-hour trip it would take to get us to Thong Sala. Upon arrival, we piled into a waiting taxi, which was a pick-up truck kind of car with benches in the back and our bags strapped to the roof. Rosalie didn't get seated until she was sure her and Alice's Louis Vuitton and our Mulberry bags weren't scratched and wouldn't come loose. I didn't really care about that, though. What are bags for if not for taking the scratching instead of the items you put in them? Anyway, the twenty-minute drive to our destination was scenic yet a little panic-inducing, seeing as the roads were insanely steep and the driver drove like a maniac. I guess he was used to it; we, however, certainly were not, and Bella squeezed my hand almost painfully in her attempts not to show her nerves.

Emmett looked very excited, though, and yelled over the roar of the engine, 'Can't wait to drive these roads myself! This is awesome!'

I had to agree with him. Apparently, over the next few days we would be renting motorbikes to explore the island and I was already looking forward to having Bella wrap her arms around me as we tore down the roads.

**o.O.o**

'Dude, this place is freakin' _awesome_!' I said as I clapped Jasper on the shoulder. 'How did you find it?'

The beachside resort we were staying at had everything you'd need for a tropical holiday; luxurious private bungalows, direct access to Sunrise Beach, swimming pool, bar, restaurant, jacuzzi… Bella had squealed in delight when exploring our room, just before taking a running start to jump onto the huge bed. The bed I couldn't wait to make love to her in.

'Did you hear about the soccer comp? We so need to enter that!' Emmett piped up, pulling me from my thoughts about christening that bed with his sister.

'Sure, why not,' I laughed.

'A little exercise wouldn't hurt,' Jasper added. 'And Alice will probably try to force me anyway when she finds out, since she's made it no secret she likes to watch me get sweaty.'

'Ew, shut up, man. That's my little sister you're talking about!'

'Yeah right, like Bella doesn't ogle you when you come back from the gym?'

'Point taken. But yeah, sign us up for that competition.'

We ended up in a team with five British guys, Paul, Seth, Jared, Sam and Riley, who were actually in a soccer team together, and brainstormed for a witty team name over some buckets and beers.

'We don't want to be too obvious,' Jared reasoned. 'Let's try to come up with something funny.'

That resulted in the entire table randomly shouting the weirdest suggestions and comments on those suggestions. Most of them were the product of Emmett's overactive imagination, though Seth proved to be a pretty good match to him.

'Team Ping Pong Show?'

'Ew! Just… no. That shit is disgusting!'

'Balls to the Wall?'

'Common, but also classic.'

'The Squeaky Zorros?'

'Kegs 'n Jugs?'

'I get the jugs, but where do the kegs come in?'

'Kick it don't throw it?'

'Look ma no hands?'

'The Sand Castles?'

'What are we, three-year-olds?'

'Knock Me Up?'

That one caused Bella to tense up, while both Emmett and I cringed.

'Definitely not that one,' Jasper said decidedly, preventing any further discussion of that particular suggestion.

'Except the Keeper?'

'Bump 'n Grind?'

'Overdone. Next!'

'Team Bucket?'

'Speaking of which, let's order another round.'

'Pint of Lager?'

'Meh…'

'Never Too Early?'

'Premature Ejaculation?'

'That's good, but not accurate.' Paul.

'Nu-uh, never happens!' Emmett.

'Sure, baby,' Rosalie said soothingly while she patted his arm.

'Team Epic?'

'How lame is that?'

'Butterfingers?'

'Dude, ever tried butter before? So good!'

'Like, on yourself?'

'No, man! With a girl! Extra smooth…' Riley said, waggling his eyebrows in case we didn't get the picture.

'Sound Test Service?'

'Sex on Legs?'

'Greased Lightning?'

'Very John Travolta. Someone needs to do that as a victory dance after each goal, then!'

'Epic Awesomeness?'

'Eight Play on the Sand?'

'The Space Tits?'

'Yeah, and then we can draw tits on our shirts!'

'We Will Block You?'

'Some Like It Hot?'

'Way too cliché.'

'Shoot to Thrill?'

'Mission Unblockable?'

'This Guy Has A Bottle Of Lube Next To His Bed?'

'What? That's totally random!'

'Not really,' Paul said, not so subtly pointing at Riley.

'What? I like a smooth ride, so sue me,' he defended.

'Yeah, right. Haven't seen a girl in your bed since we got here, though.'

'And that left hand of yours looks awfully soft and smooth compared to the right one.'

'I don't even want to know…'

'Sand Blasters?'

'The Sand Slingers?'

'The Blazing Sunburns?'

'Heads in the Sand?'

'What's with all the sand?'

'It's a _beach_ soccer comp, remember?'

'Loser Buys Drinks?'

'Excellent idea!'

'Sex on the Beach?'

'That's still on my to-do list,' Jared said.

Emmett nudged Rosalie in the ribs, and a few other guys nodded their approval of the idea as well. I guess that one was on everyone's to-do list.

_I know it's on mine…_

'Multiple Scoregasms?'

'That's pretty solid.'

'Not to mention very true.'

'Joygasm?'

'Victorious Secret?'

'Sounds more like a name for a girl team to me.'

'Hey!'

'Wii Not Fit?'

'Just the Tip?'

That caused all of us to snicker.

'Designated Drinkers?'

'The Muffin Stuffers?'

More laughing.

'Vicious and Delicious?'

'You know you are, baby,' Bella whispered in my ear.

I jolted upright in my seat at that, not expecting her to be this forward in public. To emphasize her point, she slid her hand up my leg, lightly cupping me through my board shorts.

'Can't wait to get you alone,' I whispered back, putting my hand over hers and keeping it firmly in place.

'The Wild Lunatics?'

'Sex on Fire?'

'Panty Floggers?'

'The Drill Team?'

'Vacancy Filled?'

This wasn't really getting us anywhere, and we were quickly on our way to being too drunk to come up with anything useable.

'Why don't we all write down a favorite and draw for it?' Jasper suggested in the end.

Someone produced an empty bucket and some coasters, and a few minutes later Emmett made a show of having Rosalie draw the winning name.

'Can I get a drumroll, please? And our new team name is… _The Muffin Stuffers_!'

**o.O.o**

We weren't scheduled to play until the second day of the competition, so we decided to rent three motorbikes and drive to the north side of the island for some snorkeling. As I had expected, Bella clung to me in what I hoped would be at least an equal mix of fear and excitement, but preferably leaning more towards the latter. The road out of town was even steeper now that we weren't in the back of a truck, so I couldn't really blame her. I let out a few choice expletives of my own on the descent. All in all I must admit I didn't mind having her wrapped around me like that, and more than once I found myself dreaming of buying a motorcycle when we got home, so I could repeat the experience at will. Having a legitimate reason to wear my leather jacket more often wouldn't hurt either; it hadn't escaped my notice how Bella's eyes would glaze over for a moment or two whenever I wore it.

**o.O.o**

**Bella**

Riding a motorbike across the island was both terrifying and exhilarating. I knew Edward was a good driver and he wouldn't let anything happen to me, but damn, those roads were steep, not to mention winding! He was loving it, though, and infectious laughter bubbled up out of him as I held on a little tighter and tucked my head closer into his back. Around half of the way down the road I was able to relax and appreciate my surroundings. Koh Phangan truly was a beautiful island, and the drive offered spectacular views. I was glad I had slathered on copious amounts of sunscreen, because the sun was blazing and I would surely burn like a lobster if it weren't for the SPF50...

The snorkeling was beautiful, and definitely worth the drive through the heat. The beach was quiet and there were just so many fish, plants and colorful coral. Jasper had thought to bring an underwater camera and busied himself filming and taking pictures. Including the six of us goofing off.

I struggled a little bit in the beginning, because for some reason I couldn't seem to stay afloat in the shallows without hitting the coral. Edward wordlessly picked me up, positioned me onto his back, and carried me over to the deeper parts. Once I was in, things improved, and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in the water.

On the way back, we passed a large beach hut type building that turned out to be a newly reopened restaurant, run by a group of French friends and their Thai girlfriends. It was located between the road and the beach, and they were still composing the menu, but we decided to stop anyways for a quick snack. It was fun to watch them discuss who among them was the actual cook, while another one was busy doing some carpeting and the bartender was skyping his mother, showing her the restaurant, the gorgeous view, and any random person in the vicinity. We did an excited wave in the background. The burgers were good, too, and we left feeling energized.

Edward even let me drive for part of the ride back, holding my hips while I steered us over the roads. When we reached the winding hillside roads again, however, I happily moved back on the seat, though. No way was I driving those. I preferred to hug myself close to my boyfriend's comforting body.

**o.O.o**

**Edward**

I gritted my teeth as the crowd ooh'd and aah'd at the spectacle in front of us. We were sitting at one of the picnic tables set up on the beach in front of _Cactus_ bar, mere feet away from where half a dozen of half-naked Thai guys were putting on a fire show. We were so close that we could feel the heat from the flames they were throwing around. To be fair, those guys did know how to work that baton-like stick and those poi. I was just mildly annoyed at their skills in making every woman in the vicinity swoon. Not that I cared about any of the other girls around us, but to have Bella sit next to me with her jaw dropped as another muscular and inked guy showed off his tricks… I didn't really care for that, thank you very much.

'Oh Bella, aren't they absolutely delish?' Sara gushed across the table.

Yes, Sara. Without an h at the end. Pronounced all posh, more like _Zara_.

She was a flight attendant from Sydney, and Riley's girlfriend. Apparently they had met on holiday in Ibiza and were trying to make it work, despite the distance, her crazy hours and her shameless flirting. She was nice enough, though, and extremely pretty. Petite, tan, long brown hair, funny… alright, she was hot. But she wasn't Bella, so I didn't really pay attention. When we had first met her, Rosalie had bristled a little at her perkiness and ability to make everyone notice her. But when Emmett had outright proclaimed he preferred his women tall, blonde and busty, she had settled back with a smug grin. She had even high-fived her when a French guy nearly tripped, trying to get a second look at the girls at our table.

Bella shrugged at her comment.

'Yeah, they're alright, I guess.'

'Oh come on, babe,' Sara continued in that cute accent of hers.

Yes, I can admit it was cute. It was obvious why Riley had fallen for her.

'It's okay to ogle the eye candy. Why d'you think they're shirtless, anyway?'

I pretended not to listen, but subconsciously, I still tensed up. Bella noticed and squeezed my leg under the table.

'I know, hon, and I do appreciate the view. They're just not my taste, is all.'

I relaxed infinitesimally, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.

'Alright, babe, I get it. Can't say I blame you, with that hunk of a man next to you,' she winked.

I wasn't sure if it was directed at Bella or me. Sara had been flirting with all of us, though she gave Riley most of her attention. Must have been just the way her personality worked, but I wasn't so sure I'd appreciate it if it were Bella. Riley didn't seem to mind, probably knowing it was him she went home with, so it wasn't my place to judge. Emmett and Rosalie were very different from Bella and me, and their relationship was right for them, so Riley and Sara probably had their own way of being together.

'Jealous much?' Bella asked, bumping my shoulder with hers.

I shrugged, 'Only a little. Those guys do stuff I can't, and to watch you drool over them…'

'For one, I take offence that you'd think I'd drool over anyone but you,' she rushed to admonish me. 'I was just enjoying the show. Second, I like how you get jealous, even though there's no competition. And third, I doubt anyone could come close to your skills, making my body sing…' she trailed off suggestively.

'Alright, alright,' I smiled. 'Point taken.'

When the fire guys had exhausted their risky acrobatics for the night, a tall torch was set up and one of them made a show of breathing fire over the crowd. In broken English, the MC announced it was time for the audience to join in and compete for an as of yet undisclosed prize to be won.

'Awesome! Let's do it!' Emmett bellowed and jumped to his feet, quickly followed by Seth and Paul.

By that time, I'd had enough buckets to take on the challenge, so I followed them to where the Thai guys had set everything up, leaving Alice to look at us with eyes the size of saucers while the rest of the table – at least the guys – erupted into cheers.

Just before it was our turn, Bella came back from the bathroom. She looked around, and when her eyes found mine, she started frantically waving me back, to which I answered with a lame wave and grin. I would prove to her just how much of a man I was. Those boys, tough as they might be, wouldn't divert my girl's attention again.

A very drunk girl in front of Paul managed to swallow three mouthfuls of paraffin before it dawned on her that she was supposed to use it to ignite the flame. I was surprised she didn't set herself on fire in the process.

Paul spit out a decent sized flame, but wasn't able to light the torch at the top of the pole in front of us. Emmett's attempt wasn't much more successful, and he actually managed to burn off some of the hair on his arm, leaving a disgusting smell in its wake.

Next, it was my turn. I took a large gulp of paraffin in my mouth, wiped my chin, and took the torch in my hand. When the whistle blew, I spit it all out with as much force as I could while crouching down a bit and aiming up.

The cheers and applause were deafening. The guys clapped me on the back. I looked around in a bit of a drunken daze.

_What happened?_

Then, finally, the MC's voice filtered through.

'Yes! He did it! He light the flame! Come to bar to get your prize!'

_I did it? I actually lit it? That's awesome!_

I was ushered over to the nearest bar, where one of the guys from the fire show handed me a bucket and a handful of straws. I held it over my head while fist pumping and being blinded by all the cameras taking my picture.

_Yeah! I'm the man!_

We made our way back to our group while people left and right shouted their praise at me and random guys bumped fists with me.

_Definitely the man. B is gonna be so proud…_

Two fists landed square in the middle of my chest, knocking me back a little.

'What on earth were you thinking?'

Not the response I was expecting. That would've been more along the lines of fingers tangling in my hair as legs wrapped around my body and lips devoured my own…

'Uhm… Lighting the torch and winning a prize for my girl?' I tried.

She smacked my arm.

'Not funny, Edward! That shit's dangerous! You could've been hurt!'

'But I wasn't. See?' I said, holding out my arms for her to inspect.

'You're drunk.'

It was a statement, not a question.

'Only a little,' I offered, peeking up at her.

Yeah, even though she was almost a food shorter, I found myself intimidated by her stance and angry glare, causing me to duck my head as she yelled at me.

It didn't work, though.

'I don't care. Don't you ever do something as stupid as that again! I'd expect it from my brother, not you.'

'Yes, ma'am,' I saluted her, trying to make her laugh.

'Whatever, Edward.'

With that, she turned away from me and focused on Alice and Sara.

Shit. She was really angry with me. I needed to rectify that. And soon.

'Wow, bro, that was awesome!' Paul yelled as he held up his own bucket in a toast.

'Yeah, thanks,' was my lame response.

He looked puzzled, but quickly moved his attention away from me, focusing on the party going on around us instead.

I handed my bucket over to Emmett and made for the bar.

'You okay, Cullen?' he asked.

'I will be. Need to sober up.'

He had obviously witnessed the exchange between his sister and me, and nodded understandingly, 'She won't stay mad long. She was worried sick. Rosie just laughed at me, but that's not Bells' style. Just let her cool off for a bit.'

I took his advice to heart, bought a can of Coke and a bottle of water, and decided to go for a walk along the water's edge to clear my head.

I made it almost to the other end of the beach, and then turned around, not in the mood to be exposed to the shenanigans going on at the mushroom bar located on that end. About halfway back, someone was running towards me.

'Edward?' her voice called out.

_Bella._

'Where did you go?' she asked when she stood in front of me.

'Just… the beach. I'm sorry, Bella.'

I didn't need to elaborate further. She knew what I was sorry for.

Not only for making her worry, but also for downplaying her fear and for being a drunk asshole in general. But I didn't have to say all that.

She knew.

And she didn't have to say anything either. The look in her eyes, her arms around my neck, pulling me close, the sweet kiss she gave me… spoke volumes.

She forgave me.

**o.O.o**

'Baby, put some sunscreen on my back?' Bella asked as she positioned herself on her sarong and held out the bottle to me.

I straddled her thighs, giving myself a nice view of her perky butt, and leaned over her to sweep her hair to the side. I may have taken the opportunity to place a lingering kiss behind her ear, causing her to shiver. Sitting back up, I pulled on the string of her bikini top, untying it. I had to admit, the skimpy excuse for a bathing suit looked absolutely sinful on her.

She had gone shopping with Rosalie, Alice and Sara after we had come back from our snorkeling trip and had returned with a pile of fluorescent clothes, accessories and paint, as well as the aforementioned bikini, which I had promptly made her model for me. It was dark blue, almost black, with the brand name _Billabong_ in white print on the strapless top and the back of the bottom, which barely covered her butt, but also managed to accentuate every one of her delicious curves. Emmett had balked a little when she had first taken off her shorts and top at the beach, making her blush and hide behind me in embarrassment, but I had quickly pointed out the tiny scraps of fabric my stepsister was passing off as clothing without her brothers' complaints, and he had rushed to apologize. Honestly, I understood his apprehension, but he just had to deal with the fact that his sister wasn't a child anymore, and trust me in defending her honor when necessary.

I sprayed on the sunscreen and proceeded to spread it out evenly, giving her a massage in the process. I made sure every inch of her creamy skin was sufficiently covered – wouldn't want her to burn, now would we? – taking some extra time to inspect my handiwork around her breasts and leaning over her, alerting her to the situation in my shorts, now pressed against her delectable little butt. Bella sighed and giggled at the attention I was lavishing upon her, and moaned softly as I let my fingers slip to lightly tease her nipples.

The feel of her under my hands brought back memories of waking up with her just hours earlier. I was glad we had agreed to not pack any sleepwear, since it would undoubtedly come off within minutes of putting it on, anyway. After our little fight the night before, we hadn't made love, but had simply cuddled in bed. To be honest, I would have felt a little weird having sex with her after she had obviously been very upset with me. I did, however, relish in the fact that, despite her previous anger, she had still snuggled in close and lightly ghosted her hand over my body in soft caresses. Adding to that the feel of her naked skin against mine, I had considered myself the luckiest guy on earth to be allowed to hold her. Then this morning, she had woken me up with sweet kisses and a determined hand, and I had instantly rolled us over and sheathed myself in her.

A throat clearing nearby brought me back to the present and I looked up to find most of our group looking at us with amused expressions on their faces. No doubt they could guess the general extent of my thoughts, since I tried to subtly move off Bella and lie down on my stomach, wishing my erection into submission as she winked at me.

**o.O.o**

**Bella**

It hadn't escaped my notice how Emmett seemed to have finally loosened up somewhat in respect to Edward's and mine physical relationship. He still acted protective – no doubt a result of both his brotherly tendencies as well as a promise to our parents – and didn't want to be privy to any details, and that was fine by me. At least he didn't try to slap Edward's hands away anymore, and he had stopped making disgruntled noises whenever he caught us being affectionate. Rosalie's threats of cutting him off may have had a hand in his change of behavior, but I took what I could get.

So when he looked at Edward disapprovingly after he had helped me put on sunscreen, I spoke up. Sure, the act itself had been laced with sexual tension, and I had felt Edward's reaction to that pressed against my backside, but it was all pretty innocent, considering.

Edward was still sensitive to my brother's opinion of him, though, and immediately ceased his actions and moved to lie down beside me with a quiet groan. I winked at him to let him know I had enjoyed the massage he had been giving me, then turned my head towards my brother, not even bothering to sit up for this – I was tired of having to justify our interactions. Not to mention I would have had to re-tie my bikini top.

'What, Em?' I asked in an annoyed tone.

'Nothing, Bells.'

'Oh, please. So it's a coincidence that you had a tickle in your throat when Edward's hands were on me? Don't you act all innocent on me, brother dear.'

Jasper started snickering, Sara whisper-yelled, 'You go, girl!' and Rosalie tried unsuccessfully to stifle her laughter at her boyfriend's expense, while he started to look flustered.

_Good. That means I've got his attention _and_ he knows he's in the wrong here._

'Jeez, it's not like he was dry humping me! For fuck's sake, he was being an attentive boyfriend. Do you hear me complain when you're making out with Rose? No. Because I'm happy for you and I try not to meddle. Please extend me the same courtesy.'

To be fair, he looked properly chastised. Still, he tried to offer an excuse for his behavior.

'But, Bells... I can't help it. You're still my little sister, you know.'

'Get with the program, will you? I'll always be your little sister, but I'm not a little girl anymore. There's a difference. Edward and I have sex. Lots of it. And as long as we're not doing it in public, I don't see why it's of any concern to you. So quit your bitching.'

With those words, I turned back to Edward, who looked at me with both pride and amusement written on his face. He leaned in for a kiss, whispering his appreciation.

'I'm just so sick of his big-brother-overprotectiveness. I get it, but he's suffocating and annoying,' I grumbled against his lips.

'Will you just shut up?' he laughed, and brushed his lips against mine again.

I wasn't having any of his gentleness, though, and fisted my hand in his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. My fingers released his hair and traveled down his chest, teasing his nipples along the way and tracing the ridges of his abs. When I reached his board shorts, I softly brushed along his length, smirking against his lips at his sharp intake of breath.

_Take that, Em. If I want to touch my boyfriend, I won't let you stop me._

**o.O.o**

'Oh, zis game is exzhilirating!' the German announcer crooned over the sound system.

For a guy who had been living abroad for almost two decades, I was surprised his accent was still as thick as it was. Riley had showed us a YouTube video of this guy, Günther, who had some silly songs in stereotypically bad English, and this guy could have been his bleached twin. It was hilarious to watch and listen to.

'Nixt up are team _Ahl Blahck_ verzus _Ze Muhffahn Stuhffahs_. Get ready, boys!'

Sam had collected the complimentary shirts for the team, and the guys quickly put them on and kicked a few balls to warm up, while us girls settled in to enjoy the show. The shirts were tight and hot pink and accentuated every muscle in the guys' bodies. Unfortunately for some participants, that meant every bulge, too. But for us it promised to be a legitimate drool fest.

I caught a few girls shooting lustful stares at our guys, so I fastened my bikini top, grabbed a bottle of water and waved at Edward.

'Thirsty, baby?'

He smiled and started to make his way over. I surreptitiously glanced over to the girls that had instigated my need to mark my territory. They were all looking, hands on hips. He caught me, though, but thankfully decided to play along.

'Yes, love, thank you,' he said as I handed him the bottle and he took a large swig of water.

I may have let my arms wander over his chest and arms, causing him to peer down at me, a smile playing on his lips.

'Need to prove something, do we?' he asked in a low voice.

'Just a little,' I shrugged. 'I don't want anyone getting any ideas. You're mine.'

'Yes, I am,' he agreed and wrapped his free hand around my waist, pulling me in for a sensuous kiss.

_If only I had a way of leaving a visible mark on him permanently…_

'Go out there and shine,' I encouraged him, and smacked his ass when he turned around to join his team.

Alice and Rosalie were already having their cameras on standby for the upcoming action.

For all their admirable qualities, my boyfriend, brother and friend were lousy soccer players. Even with the expertise of their British soccer playing teammates, they only managed to score one goal, while getting their asses kicked by their opponents from New Zealand. Luckily that also meant the lustful stares wandered more in that direction now, too.

_Superficial bitches._

Still, Alice had been gritting her teeth throughout the match – all fifteen minutes of it – and launched herself at Jasper the moment he stepped off the makeshift field.

'Jazzy, you were great, the way you kicked that ball! So hot!'

He grimaced at her obvious attempt at making him feel better about something he most decidedly lacked talent and skill in, but a smile shone through nonetheless at her ardor. She had herself wrapped around him as he made his way to their towels and he stumbled down upon them while their lips devoured each other. That didn't deter them, though, and they continued their little make out session.

_Guess I'm not the only one marking their territory._

All in all, the guys didn't seem to mind their loss that much.

'It's just a game,' Seth explained. 'And we're on holiday. Back home we're much more competitive.'

'Yeah, and you Americans suck at football!' Jared laughed.

**o.O.o**

Finally, the day of the full moon party had arrived. I had gone shopping with the girls a few days earlier to stock up on supplies for the party. Apparently, you were supposed to wear brightly colored clothes and accessories, as well as copious amounts of fluorescent paint. Pairing that with swimwear seemed like the best choice, given as the party was on the beach. We had spent most of the day by the pool, saving our energy for the night and working on our tans. After dinner in a lovely seafood restaurant just down the street, we went back to our bungalows to get dressed.

Sara had chosen a bright yellow bikini and a long top that was cut out at the sides, exposing lots of skin. I had opted for tiny bleached shorts and a loose white t-shirt that I had cut up to reveal my new blue bikini underneath in contrast. Rosalie was going to wear a bright pink midriff-baring top and purple shorts, and Alice had bought an oversized green and white striped tank top. The guys were given the choice of a variety of shorts in an array of blindingly bright colors, to be paired with white wifebeaters. Edward's shorts were green; Emmett had chosen blue and Jasper had picked orange. We had finished off with an insane amount of beaded necklaces, fluorescent earrings, bracelets, hats for the guys and headbands with flashing bows in pink and red for the girls, as well as several sets of paint.

Alice used white paint to draw a bunch of stars on each of our temples; she then insisted on writing her name on the back of Jasper's shirt in huge orange letters, an example both Edward and Emmett immediately followed with mine and Rosalie's names. Not that I minded seeing my name on Edward's back, showing he was mine for everyone to see. I did suggest, though, that we would reciprocate by having our boyfriends' names written down our arms. I finished it off with a few small embellishments in the form of paw prints, flowers and dots here and there.

When we were sufficiently fluorescent, we took several group pictures, making sure to send one to Angela and Ben with a message that we missed them and hoped they were having a good time as well. We then made our way to the beach, where the party was already in full swing. There was music everywhere, stalls to get painted or buy last-minute accessories, karts filled with alcohol and other refreshments, and the entire beach was packed with people. In fact, it was so crowded; people were actually dancing in the shallow water.

We agreed that it would be difficult to stay together as a group the whole time, so if we were to separate, we would meet up at a specific location in a couple of hours. Sure enough, within minutes of reaching the crowd, Sara and Riley had already disappeared, and I noticed Jared on top of a table, making out with a girl he had met the night before. Our first stop was the area in front of Drop Inn Bar, where tables and platforms were set up to dance upon. We managed to climb onto one of them and stayed there for a couple of songs.

After a while, I really needed to use the bathroom. Edward walked with me into a side street where there was a public restroom that looked fairly clean given the circumstances. When we tried to get back to the platform, I couldn't see the rest of our group there anymore, and I was glad I had asked Edward to come with me instead of one of the girls. Sure, I was a little bummed that we had lost them, but I preferred experiencing this party with Edward.

We got lost in our little bubble, dancing, jumping, laughing and drinking. His hands never left my body; he was always touching me in some way, either by holding my hand, wrapping an arm around me or resting his hand on my hip. I swayed to the beat, a bucket dangling from my fingers, my bare feet in the sand, gazing happily into Edward's eyes, completely oblivious to the mayhem going on around us. The only things that filtered through were the muted beats of the music and the flashing lights coming from all different directions. With time, our swaying slowed to a standstill. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and left his hand there, cradling my head. He then leaned down as I wrapped my arms around his waist, our lips meeting almost in slow motion. His hands traveled down my body and he bent his knees slightly. In response, I moved my arms to his neck, holding on as he picked me up and wrapped my legs around him, never breaking our kiss. My hair fell around our faces and the air between us crackled and pulsed with energy, amplified by the loud music and the beating of our hearts. We whispered words of affection and sweet nothings against each other's lips.

I don't know how much time had passed, but eventually we extricated ourselves from our embrace and rejoined the party. Our friends found us one by one, in various states of intoxication, and we climbed on top of yet another picnic table, to end the night jumping up and down almost ecstatically, spilling our drinks and getting soaked with sweat, beer and cocktails.

I had never expected a party to be this riveting.

**o.O.o**

The day after the full moon party I woke up to muted light filtering in through the shutters on the windows of our bungalow and the sound of rain pounding on the wooden structure. Perfect conditions to stay inside for some private time in between all the group outings.

Edward was still asleep next to me, but his morning wood told me he wasn't far from waking. I turned to look at him and noticed he had some drool coming out of his mouth. The sight was rather comical, since I hadn't known him to drool before. Well, he probably did, as everyone tends to do at times, but if so, he had always managed to clean himself up before I noticed. Or maybe it was the result of last night's partying that had him dribbling all over his pillow. Using a corner of the sheet, I gently wiped his chin, and he leaned into my touch, nuzzling my hand. Smiling, I decided to give him a little wake up call and scooted toward the foot of the bed, positioning myself between his legs and dragging my fingers over his thighs.

His cock twitched when I brushed against it lightly. I grinned at his body's reaction to my proximity and leaned in, blowing a hot breath onto his tip before kissing it. My lips moved down his shaft, leaving soft wetness in their wake, as he grew harder still. A strange sense of pride and awe came over me as I saw him lying there before me.

_All of that is for me_, I thought, and suppressed a dreamy sigh.

_Yes, it's all for you, but don't forget the task at hand._

I wrapped my fingers around his base and licked up towards the tip slowly, exaggerating my movements. When I reached the head of his cock again, I wet my lips and opened them, taking in as much of him as I could comfortably fit into my mouth. When he was in as far as he could go without me gagging, I looked up at him. Just in time to see him wake up and realize what was happening.

'B… shit!' he yelled, and I smiled around his cock.

Well, as much as was possible, considering my current situation.

'What the… oh damn… _Bella_…'

I mentally high fived myself for making him this incoherent first thing in the morning. But the way he nearly groaned my name right then caused wetness to flood between my own thighs, and I moaned in realization that doing this to him turned me on as well. That sound apparently vibrated to his cock, because the muscles in his thighs tensed under my hands and he let out a string of expletives.

'Oh please… baby… so good… more…' he panted.

I cupped his balls and rolled them in my fingers as I simultaneously let my teeth graze along his length. He hissed, fisted one hand in my hair as the other gripped the sheets, and pulsed down my throat. I sucked and swallowed, taking all he had to give me while keeping my eyes locked with his. That seemed to even prolong his orgasm as his chest heaved and he looked at me with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

I finally released him, placing a final kiss onto his tip.

'Get up here,' he practically growled. 'I need to be inside you, like, five minutes ago.'

**o.O.o**

'Are you sure about this?'

'Uhm… what?'

'We don't have to if you don't want to.'

'Edward.'

'I mean, I know I sort of sprung this on you, but I can wait if that's what you want.'

'Edward,' I said, a little louder this time.

That made him pause his nervous rambling long enough for me to get a word in.

'Seriously, stop fretting so much.'

He managed to look properly chastised.

'I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. I was just distracted by the artwork. You _know_ I want one.'

'Yeah, but I thought you wanted to wait until your birthday…'

'Are you trying to talk me out of it now? You're the one who suggested this in the first place: _Hey Bella, let's get matching tattoos while we're here_,' I mimicked him. 'Getting one now won't stop me from getting another when I turn eighteen. If anything, it'll prepare me for what to expect. You know, I've been thinking about that side piece…'

'You have? Babe, that would look stunning on you! But let's keep this first one small, okay?'

I laughed at his whirlwind emotions; he went from excited, to uncertain, to elated in a matter of minutes, and if it weren't adding to my slightly frazzled nerves, it would have been even funnier. Honestly, I was about as excited as he was about the tattoo; I loved the idea of having something permanent on our bodies to reflect our love. But his fretting was getting me a little too worked up at the moment.

'Come on, Cullen, let's do this before I chicken out,' I said and kicked off my flipflops before entering the small shop.

A skinny Thai guy with long dreads and tattoos covering almost every inch of visible skin was drawing on a sketching pad, but looked up as we entered.

'Hello, I am Chan. Welcome. Can I help you?' he greeted us in the soft-spoken manner I had come to associate with the Thai people.

We greeted him in the respectful way we had adopted during our visit before Edward spoke up, '_Sawadee krup_. I'm Edward and this is Bella. I talked to Nat at _Cactus_. And he told me to come to you. We want to get a tattoo.'

'Ah, yes, Nat. I do a lot of his tattoos. Sit, sit, you want some water?'

We sat down on the couch in the front of the shop as he brought out two cups of chilled water. He then retrieved his sketching pad and sat down on the beanbag across from us.

'So, what do you want?' he asked.

We explained our ideas to him and he quickly drew up a few sketches. His English was a little broken, but that didn't hinder the creative process. When we had settled on a design, I asked him to make one small addition. Edward raised an eyebrow at that at first, but when I explained my intention to him, he decided to include it in his design as well.

'Okay, so you both eighteen?' Chan asked before he went to prepare his station.

I hesitated. I didn't feel comfortable lying, but I really wanted this tattoo now. Luckily, Edward answered for the both of us.

'Yes, I'm twenty-one and she's eighteen.'

Chan nodded and continued his preparations.

'Who wants first?' he asked.

'I do,' I said.

I didn't want to lose my nerve.

Chan motioned for me to sit back in the chair and put my arm on the arm rest, palm facing up.

Edward's tattoo would be on the inside of his left wrist. He had reasoned it would be more symmetrical considering the one on his hip. Which is why I had chosen to have it on my right wrist, since I wanted to get the side piece on my left side. Plus, this way our tattoos would be touching whenever we held hands.

Chan placed the stencil on my wrist and asked us if we were happy with its size and location. It already looked beautiful there, and I couldn't wait to make it a permanent fixture. When we gave our approval, he snapped on a pair of surgical gloves, cleaned my skin and prepared his gun.

I jumped when the needle first touched my skin, squeezing Edward's hand, but after that initial line, it wasn't quite as bad. Annoying? Yes. Bordering on painful when passing over the bone? Yes, but not crossing the line. After a while I was able to relax enough to look at what Chan was doing. It didn't look at all like he was actually opening up my skin; more like lightly brushing over it.

'You okay?' Edward whispered.

'Yeah, I'm good. It's not nearly as bad as I imagined. It actually feels nice, sort of.'

'Good girl,' he murmured, and brushed his lips against my temple.

About half an hour later, my tattoo was done and Chan gently cleaned away the excess ink and little bit of blood, before applying Vaseline and a bandage. I got up from the chair to make room for Edward, and watched as the process was repeated. While Chan was working, I looked around the small shop. The walls were covered in pictures of previous clients and tattoo designs, but also some other art. An unfinished painting stood on an easel in a corner.

'Did you do these paintings?' I asked, pointing at a few of them.

Without looking up, Chan answered affirmatively.

'They're beautiful. Do you sell them, too?'

'Some, yes,' he said slowly.

'What are you thinking, love?' Edward asked.

'Present for my parents?' I answered.

He looked around the shop as much as his position allowed and nodded.

'Sure, they're great. I'm sure they would love one of these paintings. Why not buy one for my parents as well?'

My heart swelled at his referral to Esme as one of his parents and I walked over to kiss him softly.

'What's that for?' he wondered.

'Just because I love you.'

**o.O.o**

**Edward**

We had bought two of Chan's paintings; three dancing figures in black on a blue and green background with gold accents for Charlie and Renee, and a Buddha in the lotus position on a red, yellow and gold background for my father and Esme. They were wrapped in paper and carefully placed in the overhead compartments of the airplane.

We had shown them to our friends when we had met up with them for dinner the day we had gotten our tattoos. Alice had been raving about them, wanting to know where we had gotten them so maybe she could buy some for herself. When I had told her we had bought them at a tattoo shop, the table had fallen silent.

'You got another tattoo, lil' E?' Jasper had asked.

'Didn't you just get one in January?' Rosalie had questioned.

'Yeah,' I had answered. 'But this one is… special.'

'How come?' Alice had asked as Emmett had looked at me suspiciously.

'Uhm…' Bella had spoken up. 'Because I got one too.'

'What?' Emmett had exclaimed. 'Bells, what have you done? You know Mom and Dad are going to kill me for this, right? They trusted me to look after you and you go on and get a tattoo? Fuck!'

'Em, chill,' Bella had said. 'This is _my_ decision. I won't let Dad give you a hard time over it. And it's only a small one.'

'How small?' he had asked desperately.

She had extended her wrist, and he had grabbed her hand, pulling it close to examine the tattoo. It truly was beautiful and I loved looking at it and gently tracing the design. It was simple enough: the Gemini sign and four little stars in a square around it.

'Oh Bella, it's gorgeous!' Rosalie had praised, looking over Emmett's shoulder. 'Eddie, did you get Virgo?' she had asked knowingly.

I had smiled and showed her my wrist, confirming her question.

'That's so romantic!' Alice had said. 'And I like the stars, they're so pretty.'

'Thanks, they should be. They're for you guys.'

Again, stunned silence.

'Wow, bro,' Jasper had finally spoken. 'That's… thanks, man.'

'But you're telling Mom and Dad,' Emmett had warned Bella.

Smiling at that memory, I picked up Bella's hand and pressed my lips against her tattoo. No matter what happened, she wore my sign, and I proudly wore hers. Nothing could make that go away.

She opened her eyes and smiled at me, rubbing the palm of her hand over the scruff that had grown back on my jaw.

**o.O.o**

I hadn't shaved for the entire trip, and had grown quite an impressive beard. I kind of liked the whole hobo vibe it gave off, making me look the part of the castaway on a tropical island, but by the time we were leaving Koh Phangan, Bella had put her foot down. She had claimed the beard was too ticklish and obscured my jaw from view. When that hadn't convinced me, she had threatened to cut me off from certain sexual favors. I hadn't known if she had been serious about that, but I hadn't wanted to risk it, either, so I had conceded and shaved it off.

Well, most of it.

I had left a small amount around my mouth and chin in a goatee of sorts. Surely, it had made me look manly and distinguished.

Bella hadn't agreed with me.

'Edward, what is that?' she had asked.

'I shaved, like you asked me to.'

'Well, you're not done. Go back.'

'What, you don't like it?'

She had given me a look. Obviously she had felt it sufficed as an answer.

'Edward, just… no,' Rosalie had joined in on the conversation.

'Dude, you look like that German guy from the pool comp sounds,' Emmett had laughed.

'Yeah, man, it's a little too slick for you,' Jasper had offered.

'Wow, thanks guys, I'll try something new for a change.'

'Baby,' Bella had offered. 'There's nothing wrong with trying something new, but this is just not working for you. Please shave it off? I prefer you clean or scruffy, but not with this. Please?'

She had added a kiss to that request and I had found myself helpless against her charms.

Ten minutes later, but not before Alice had gotten a picture of it, the goatee was gone.

When we had returned to Bangkok, we only had a few more days left there. Fortunately, Ben had recovered and he and Angela had been busy exploring the city and enjoying their private time together. We had spent our first day back sharing stories and pictures and already reminiscing about what had turned out to be the best holiday I had taken in years, if not my life.

Exploring a foreign country with close friends? Amazing. Partaking in the epicness that is a full moon party? Unbelievable. Being with Bella uninhibited? Priceless.

**A/N So, yeah, this has been a long one. Glad you stuck with me, though, and I hope you liked it. Just hit that little button at the bottom and let me know!**

**I've done a bit of an outline of what I want to cover of their lives, and so far it looks to be a total of about 16 chapters. However, I'm open to suggestions, and if there's something, either from **_**BFaS**_** or some future stuff, that you'd like to see, please let me know and I'll take it into consideration. I might not update this fic for a while, though, because I intend to focus on moving forward with **_**From Black Moon to Solstice**_** for the time being.**

**Thanks to T Kegl and Squeaky Zorro, and my Byron Bay roomies Micah and Bryce for helping me brainstorm some silly team names. Also thanks to my girl Sara for being just fabulous; she invited me into her home in Sydney, gushed with me over Edward and got all excited about my writing. It seemed only fair to include her in a bit of this chapter. Oh and Kate, about the drooling? Your tweet about it made me write that bit in. '**_**Honey, we all do that. We just pretend that we don't.**_**' **

**Anyway, this chapter was so much fun to write, as I used a lot of my own experiences and got to relive some of my favorite Thailand moments.**

**The clothes they bought the first night in BKK? Mine. Well, the girls', anyway. Jasper's shirt is hilarious. Makes me regret not buying it last time I was there. The pimped out bus? Also a fact. There's a picture of it on my FB. I actually participated in the fire breathing during my last trip to Koh Phangan and it was awesome! The German guy hosting the beach soccer comp is also very real, as are his terrible 70s porn star looks and accent.**

**Oh, just to make clear, by no means did I mean any disrespect by writing out the botched up English of the Thai MC and tattoo artist (he's actually Bestie's friend and tattoo artist and did one of mine, too) or the bad German accent. I just wrote it like that to paint a more vivid picture. To get an idea: look up Günther and his song **_**Teenie Weenie String Bikini**_** (spelling may vary) on YouTube. Or any other of his songs. Freakin' hilar.**

**Just to let you know, the places they've stayed at in Thailand all exist. If you're curious, just google them:**

**Rambuttri Village Inn is the hotel in Bangkok. I've stayed there several times, but always in their cheapest single or double. It's a nice transition from western standards if you've just gotten there. Plus, it has two rooftop swimming pools. Usually, though, I stay in one of the really budget guest houses around Khao San Road, but they're not really suitable for the Cullens (well, mainly high maintenance Alice :p )**

**On Koh Phangan, I usually stay in a cute little bungalow a little further afield – though still walking distance to Sunrise Beach – but because it's our favorite couple, I looked up the fancier beachside Tommy Resort in Haad Rin. **

**I'm sort of giving away a few of my not-so-secret hotspots here, but if you really want to enjoy some nice snorkeling while there, it's worth the drive up to Haad Kom and check out the private beach at the resort there.**

**My favorite bar in Thailand has to be Cactus Bar, right on Sunrise Beach in Haad Rin. It's just very relaxed, and the Thai guys doing the fire show and other entertainment are amazing. I do count them among my friends when traveling as they're always happy to see Bestie and me when we get there and love to show us a good time. And yes, they **_**are**_** droolworthy :p**

**Ben getting food poisoning from western food is not that uncommon; luckily I haven't had the experience yet, but Bestie got a nasty case of it after she'd ordered spaghetti in Cambodia. As Edward said, best stick to the local food, as they know how to prepare that. Not to mention, it's delish!**

**The thing that's amazing about the full moon party, other than what I've described, is that, despite the large number of people gathered, partying and in various states of intoxication, there are hardly any altercations and there is barely any security or police around. It's just an amazing atmosphere and one of the best parties in the world. If you have the chance, by all means, attend on. You'll love it!**

**One thing I truly feel I must impart on you when talking about Thailand is this: do not, I repeat do NOT go to see a ping pong show. People may argue that it's part of the experience, but let me tell you, it is most definitely not a part of Thai culture. They only exist because tourists keep going to them. In my humble opinion, it's degrading and a form of prostitution, often coupled with exploitation. I know my boycotting them won't put an end to it, but still, if I manage to convince you to stay clear of them, that's at least a few more people not going to see some poor girl shooting a variety of things out of her flamouche. Who would want to witness that, anyway?**


	7. Let me grope you

**Disclaimer: I still don't own.**

**A/N This is a little something that came to me without any further context.**

**Thanks KitsuShel for pre-reading.**

* * *

><p><strong>7. Let me grope you<strong>

Closing my book with a sigh, I pushed back the chair I was sitting in.

'Finally done with Math,' I announced to no one in particular.

Turning around, my gaze fell upon my boyfriend, sprawled out on his black leather couch. While I had been working on my homework, he had been catching up on some reading. His book had been cast aside, though, and he was staring out his window, lost in thought.

'Edward?' I started.

He remained silent for a moment longer before he responded.

'Have you ever checked yourself?'

_What kind of question was that?_

'Sorry?'

He turned to look at me, recognizing the confusion in my tone.

'Like a breast exam? Check for lumps?'

Instead of answering, I walked over to stand in front of him, running a hand through his hair. He closed his eyes briefly and leaned into my touch. I relished in the calming effect I seemed to have on him whenever he was worrying about something.

I just hated that he needed it.

'What brought this on, baby?'

He opened his eyes again and looked at me with such pain my heart broke a little for him.

'It's my mother's birthday,' he whispered.

_Elizabeth…_

Without hesitating, I climbed onto his lap and wrapped my arms around him, offering comfort. We sat like that for an immeasurable moment, the only sound our breathing.

After a while he pulled back a little and looked at me imploringly.

'So, have you?'

'Honestly, no. It never occurred to me. I don't even think I know how to.'

'I could… show you. If you'd like.'

Apprehension settled in my stomach.

'You've done it before?'

I didn't really want to think about Edward's past. Sure, I obviously knew about it, and sometimes we would run into some girl he had slept with, but I tried not to dwell on it, knowing it was _me_ he had chosen, knowing he didn't want to be like that anymore. Fortunately, Edward knew how I felt and accurately read the hesitation in my eyes.

'No, love, I haven't. I'm not pre-med and I never cared about a girl enough to have this conversation with her. It's just… I may have looked up how to do it, just in case.'

'Just in case?' I questioned, my stomach easing instantly.

'Well, I gave Alice the information when she bought her first bra, and I looked at it to know what I was giving her,' he admitted.

I couldn't help a small smile.

'Don't worry, baby. I think it's sweet that you were looking out for your sister.'

He was quiet again and I decided to just humor him in this.

'So, you want to show me how?'

He looked up at me shyly, but I could see some excitement and relief in his eyes as well.

'You'll have to take your shirt off,' he started hesitantly.

I immediately obliged and flung his jersey across the room. I wore it every chance I got and it had become a fixed part of my school uniform. I loved wearing his name across my back and the look in his eyes whenever he saw me wearing it.

'Uhm… bra, too,' he murmured, swallowing thickly.

I reached behind me and unclasped the white lacy garment, letting the straps fall off my shoulders. He gently removed it all the way and placed a kiss above my left breast, over my heart, while I played with the hair at the back of his neck.

'Damn, you're so beautiful,' he whispered reverently.

I turned my head and nuzzled his neck before kissing him there.

'Maybe it's better if you turn around. That way I can show you how to do it yourself,' he instructed.

When I was back on his lap, this time with my back against his chest, he took my right hand and brought it to my left breast.

'You'll want to run your fingers in circles from your nipple outwards, applying a bit of pressure, so you can feel the texture of the tissue,' he explained while manipulating my hand.

He was trying to keep it clinical and purposeful, I could tell, educating me on how to properly examine myself. But some things just can't be helped, and I could feel his body's reaction to our actions. My own breathing was becoming more labored as well, and I leaned back into him.

When we had finished examining both breasts, he brought his hands around and cupped them, his thumbs brushing over my nipples, which had hardened when I had taken my shirt off.

'All done?' I asked a little breathily.

'Uhm,' he said, then cleared his throat. 'You also need to do it lying down.'

I got up on shaky legs and moved over to the bed. It felt a little weird being on his bed topless but with the rest of my uniform still on, so I took off my skirt and shoes before climbing onto the bed and lying down in the middle. Edward was still sitting on his couch.

'Baby?' I called.

He shook his head and swallowed, then got up and walked over to his bed. He stood there a little awkwardly for a moment, so I sat up and reached my hand out towards him. He silently took it and moved beside me, propped up on his left arm, lovingly gazing down at me.

Before we could get caught up in the moment, I decided to stick to the subject at hand, and started to examine my right breast, while keeping my eyes locked with Edward's. He merely looked at me while I continued with the left one.

'All done,' I announced when I finished.

'And?' Edward pressed.

'Nothing. They feel fine. But I'll continue to check, okay?'

He exhaled, relief dominating his features.

This must have been an even bigger deal to him than I had previously thought.

'Thank you, love,' he whispered as he leaned down to brush his lips against mine. 'You don't know how much this means to me.'

He made to pull away after that, but I threaded my right hand through his hair, holding him to me, while my left hand reached out for his body, pulling him close.

'Don't worry about it, Edward,' I said. 'But if we're going to play doctor on a regular basis, I expect extraordinary bedside manners.'

He smiled against my lips and allowed his hands to cup my breasts again, quenching and simultaneously increasing the ache there.

'But of course, Miss Swan. Wouldn't want to leave you in any discomfort, now would we?' he grinned as he quickly discarded his t-shirt.

I giggled at how carefree he was, now that his worries were eased and he could actually appreciate me being almost naked in his arms.

Those giggles soon turned into gasps and moans, though, as he unleashed his expert touch on me once more.


	8. And Nothing Else Matters

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Twilight**_**, nor the lyrics or other references used in this chapter.**

**A/N A picture of the girls' outfits is linked on my profile. Missrebecca is my beta.**

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><p><strong>8. And Nothing Else Matters<strong>

_I'm not a perfect person_

_There's many things I wish I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

_That I just want you to know_

Secure in Edward's embrace, I swayed on the dance floor on the large patio of the _Urban Lights Studio_, the venue for this year's prom.

I had been surprised when the prom committee announced their choice, for U-Prep was known for its more classic approach to formal events, but it had all worked out perfectly. I shouldn't have been surprised, though, since Jessica was in the prom committee, and had worked hard to stand out in the school's historical records.

The long hallway leading into the main area set the mood, and the different rooms provided something for everyone's taste. After our mandatory photo session, Edward and I had explored the library, gawking at the modern décor, and then relaxed in the more exotically themed rooms, before making our way outside. It was a warm May evening – almost uncharacteristically warm – and it would be a shame to not take advantage of that.

The added advantage of the eclectic setting was that everyone was suitably dressed, whether they had chosen, like Angela, for a more demure forest green Monique Lhuillier, or had let themselves be inspired by _Burlesque_ in a shimmery silver dress with a plunging neckline, like Jessica. Alice was a vision in hot pink layers and had gotten Jasper to match her by wearing socks and suspenders in the same shade. He never batted an eye when she asked him to, proving once more he was a great match for her.

Edward's melodic voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I found myself drowning in his emerald eyes, gazing lovingly at me as he softly sang along with the song he'd requested.

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

He pressed a sweet kiss to my lips, his eyes shining with love and adoration, as we continued dancing. My mind drifted back to earlier that night, when he had come to pick me up.

Rosalie had come by in the afternoon to help me with my hair. She did it perfectly: it fit the look of my dress without being too much, which would have made me self-conscious. Instead of some elaborate updo, she had pulled my hair back into a low, loose bun – or chignon, as she called it – with a few tendrils framing my face.

Upon descending the stairs, everything had faded away until all I could see was Edward, waiting for me and looking absolutely dashing in his tuxedo. A flash had gone off when he had walked up to meet me, extending his arm and walking me down the final steps. There, he had presented me with a wrist corsage consisting of red and white roses. Once it had been tied around my left wrist, he had picked up my right hand and had pressed his lips to my tattoo.

Charlie had groaned at that, while Renee and Rosalie had cooed as Emmett had snapped picture after picture. He still didn't like the fact that his little girl had gotten tattooed, and didn't hesitate in voicing his opinion on the matter whenever the occasion arose.

To be fair, he hadn't thrown as big a fit as I had expected when he had found out about the tattoo; he had just yelled at me, telling me to get it lasered, until I had threatened to move in with Emmett. Then he had just huffed for a while, saying I was mutilating myself with this 'act of barbarism'. I had conceded by covering the tattoo with bracelets when I was at home. Renee had been more disappointed than upset, but once I had explained its meaning, she had agreed that it was beautiful.

Charlie hadn't particularly warmed up to Edward in general, but he had learned to tolerate him. After a while, he was even allowed to spend the night once a week, provided that my door wasn't locked and we would keep our clothes on. I had made it my personal mission to find the skimpiest nightwear that could still be considered clothing, and Edward made sure I knew how much he appreciated my lacy babydolls and matching panties, that tied at the side for easy access. Not having to use condoms anymore was amazing. We didn't have to stop to put one on, and I could feel so much more of him. It was also a relief not having to worry about protection, from either pregnancy or disease. Edward had gotten tested again just in case, but I knew we were safe; he had gotten tested before we met and I was the only one he had slept with since then. Our lovemaking had become more spontaneous and definitely more frequent. Yes, I admit that, when it came to sex with Edward, I was nearly insatiable.

Renee unknowingly had walked in on us at one point; I had still been in my school uniform, _sans_ panties, on Edward's lap, whose pants had been undone. We were supposed to be studying – Edward was helping me with a Latin assignment – but as soon as we were in my room, we had started making out and Edward had tossed my underwear across the room. When Renee had come asking if we had wanted a snack, we had simply stopped moving until she had left. It had taken me a full five minutes and some heavy teasing from Edward to stop laughing after that. I still don't know if she had been aware of what we had been doing.

After the more formal moment of attaching the corsage, Emmett had continued to fill his camera's memory card with picture after picture of me with every possible combination of the people present. When I had been sufficiently blinded by the flash and was starting to think my cheeks would never regain their feeling from all the posed smiles, Edward had guided me to Jasper's Aston Martin, which he had borrowed for the occasion. Another series of pictures had followed before we had been waved off on our way to the prom.

_I'm sorry that I hurt you_

_It's something I must live with every day_

_And all the pain I put you through_

_I wish that I could take it all away_

_And be the one who catches all your tears_

_That's why I need you to hear_

Suddenly, he tensed. I felt it in the way he held me, and saw it in his posture; he was rigid and almost frozen in his spot. I looked up at him to see what was wrong and noticed his gaze fixed over my head to a spot across the dance floor. Trying to pull him out of whatever had caught his attention, I brought a hand up to cup his face.

'Edward? What's wrong?'

He blinked, and then looked into my eyes.

'I'm sorry. I ehm… didn't think of this.'

'Think of what?'

'My past. Baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't think it would come back to bite me in the ass tonight of all nights.'

'What are you talking about?'

He took my hand, leading me off the dance floor. When we were a little more secluded, he rested his forehead against mine, eyes closed, and sighed heavily. I was getting rather anxious. What could be so bad to trigger such a reaction in him?

After a few moments, he pulled back to look at me again, a regretful expression in his eyes.

'My senior prom wasn't… quite like this, I'm afraid. I brought a date, but I couldn't care less about her, besides taking off her panties on the way home. I didn't even bother getting a room,' he laughed humorlessly. 'I was fine with simply fucking her in the backseat of my car in the parking lot.'

I shuddered slightly at the thought. What kind of girl would let her date treat her like that?

Edward apparently mistook my reaction for judgment of his behavior, though, because he started apologizing again.

'I'm so sorry, baby. I know I told you about what I was like before, but I'm sorry you have to hear details like this.'

'No, Edward,' I whispered. 'That's not it. Please, tell me what's wrong.'

'Well, completely disregarding my date was one thing. But when she was getting her picture taken with her friends, I…'

He paused and squeezed his eyes shut. Retelling this was obviously painful for him. I ran my fingers along his jaw, then played with the hair in the nape of his neck, hoping to soothe him somewhat. That seemed to work, because he opened his eyes again and continued.

'I… shit! Bella, I'm so sorry… I fucked one of the chaperones in a supply closet.'

I sucked in a sharp breath at this revelation. That was one messed up thing to do. But why did he bring it up now?

He was looking away from me again, not wanting to meet my gaze.

'Edward?'

'She was one of my teachers, young, sexy… I seduced her. And she's here.'

I was about to offer more reassurances, but then I registered the last part of his confession.

'She's _here_? What… who?'

'Charlotte… Fletcher.'

'My English teacher?'

It made sense. In a sick, disturbing sort of way. She was in her late twenties and very pretty; most guys had some kind of crush on her at one point or another. She was also very much engaged. To Peter Jackson, my History teacher.

He nodded mutely.

'Are you freaking kidding me?'

Anger was quickly bubbling up inside me, and all too soon I was seething. Edward was still trying to apologize, but I wouldn't have any of that, so I cupped his face in my hands and forced him to look at me, to see the sincerity in my eyes.

'Edward, please, stop saying you're sorry. I get it. But you were just a boy, scared, confused, and hurt, and she took advantage of that.'

'I seduced _her_...' he tried to interject, but I didn't let him finish.

'She was your teacher. She should've known better. I want to kick her ass for taking advantage of you like that!'

Momentarily stunned silent by my outburst, he looked at me slack-jawed.

'Dammit Bella, I love you,' he exclaimed before his lips descended onto mine.

I lost myself in his kiss, arching into him and holding on with all my might, temporarily forgetting where we were.

A familiar voice calling out behind Edward pulled us from our passionate moment.

'Sorry kids, but can you keep this shindig PG?'

Suddenly, I was the one frozen in my spot as I looked over Edward's shoulder at the chaperone who was chastising us.

Miss Fletcher.

The thing that stung almost as much as the fact that she'd had sex with my boyfriend when he had been her student, was that I actually _liked_ her. She had a way of making potentially boring classes interesting, and she encouraged us to keep challenging ourselves in our reading. I always found myself making a little more of an effort than I normally would on my English papers.

Granted, she probably didn't know yet that Edward was my boyfriend, but even then, she had been so far out of line, she might as well have been in Mexico. No amount of playboy behavior excused her actions. I was ready to rip her a new one.

'Oh, hi Isabella. I see you're having a good time,' she smiled warmly. 'But try to keep the PDA to a minimum, okay?'

She seemed taken aback by my glare, while I aimed to calm Edward's nerves with my touch. It wasn't until he finally turned around, that her face fell for just a moment, before she quickly rearranged her features into a more distant expression.

'Hello, Edward.'

He swallowed thickly.

'Charlotte.'

'How have you been?'

I didn't give him a chance to respond to her ludicrous inquiry, instead moving to stand in front of him and taking his hand, which he squeezed gratefully. Looking her square in the eye, I started giving her a piece of my mind.

'Stop. Just… don't. You have no right being here!'

'Isabella,' she giggled nervously. 'I'm your teacher. Of course I can be here.'

'No, you can't,' I countered, knowing very well I almost sounded like a petulant child. 'What you did… how could you? You were his _teacher_! I wonder what your fiancé would have to say about your actions?'

Edward gripped my hand more firmly as Charlotte looked suitably scared. I leaned forward a bit, thankful for the high heels I was wearing, as they gave me a slight height advantage on her, aiding me in intimidating her.

_Do not mess with a woman scorned. Or that woman's boyfriend._

'We were already leaving, anyway. I suggest you leave us alone. And if you don't want the school board and your precious Peter to find out what you did with one of your students, I also highly recommend you not reporting me for skipping your class the rest of the year. And maybe you could look into transferring out of the district?'

With that, I turned to Edward.

'Come on, baby, let's go say good night to Alice and Jasper.'

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

The next morning, I woke up surrounded by fluffy down, soft cotton, and warm flesh, while a pleasant soreness announced itself between my legs. Keeping my eyes closed for a little while longer, I pulled Edward's strong arms tighter around me. Weekends like this – just the two of us and uninterrupted – were rare, and we intended to take full advantage of it.

It had started off perfectly when we had arrived at the Fairmont Olympic the night before. On Carlisle's recommendation, Edward had booked us the Cascade Suite for the weekend. Candles had been lit in front of the vanity in the bedroom, casting a romantic glow, and a bottle of champagne had been cooling.

Sufficiently calmed down from our altercation with Charlotte at prom, we had toasted and enjoyed a glass or two, before I couldn't take it any longer and had launched myself at Edward. As smoldering as he looked in it, I couldn't get him out of his tuxedo fast enough. Luckily, he had agreed with me and had proceeded to help me unfasten the buttons on his shirt. I had raked my hands over his chest, eliciting moans and hisses when my fingernails had brushed over his nipples, before I had pulled the shirt from his pants. When he had been stripped down to his boxer briefs, he had pulled me to my feet and had unzipped my dress, letting it pool at my feet. Instead of his usual gentle way, he had then picked me up and had tossed me, giggling, onto the king-sized bed. Don't get me wrong, I loved the way Edward adored me, showering me with attention and devotion, but sometimes, I preferred a rougher approach. Especially when either of us had been stressed, like that night. He had been of a similar mindset, and we had spent a good couple of hours devouring each other, before passing out with tangled limbs.

'I know you're awake,' Edward whispered, a smile in his voice.

When his lips feathered kisses down my neck, I shivered in pleasure and shifted my butt, alerting myself to his erection. He groaned softly in my ear in reaction.

'Shh, I want to enjoy this just a little while longer,' I whispered back, contradicting my body's actions.

'Tease,' he accused, and moved his right hand down my body, teasing me himself.

'You're one to talk,' I panted.

'Ready to wake up then?'

'Well, yeah, since reality is even better than the dream I was having…'

'Why don't you show me what your dream was about?' he asked, rolling me over and positioning himself between my legs.

I stopped arguing and gave in to his request and his body.

_I'm not a perfect person_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

_That I just want you to know_

'So…' Edward started. 'I've been thinking…'

'Of me, I hope,' I joked.

'Always. Everything I do is for you,' he said seriously.

'How very Bryan Adams of you,' I smiled, and pulled him in for a kiss.

Before we could take it any further, though, he pulled back.

'Seriously, love, this is pretty important.'

I sat up, pulling the sheet around me, covering up in an attempt not to distract him from what he had on his mind, and motioned for him to continue.

'Well, Jasper and I lived in the dorms our freshman year at U-Dub, and we absolutely hated it. Cramped, loud, communal showers…'

'Wait, I thought this was about you and me?'

'It is, just let me get there.'

'Sorry. Go ahead.'

After a quick kiss, he picked up where he had left off.

'Anyway, that's why we moved back home. And it worked fine. Or it used to, at least. With all of us paired off, privacy is…' he trailed off, and I nodded in understanding. 'So, I've been thinking about looking for an apartment.'

'That's great!'

He took my hands then, and locked eyes with me.

'And I want you to move in with me.'

I was torn. On the one hand, I would love to live with him, spend every night in his arms and not have to worry about curfews or anyone walking in; but on the other hand, I wasn't really in a position to take this step yet.

'I… I'd love to,' I started, internally wincing at the happy smile that spread on his face and the knowledge I would crush that with what I was about to say next. 'But I can't.'

He dropped our joined hands to my lap.

'Why not?' he asked.

'I'm only seventeen, Edward…' I began to explain, but he interrupted me.

'You'll be eighteen after the summer,' he reasoned.

'True,' I conceded. 'But I'm still in high school. A very expensive private school. Which my parents pay for. I doubt they'll support me moving in with you while I'm still in school.'

'Then I'll pay for you school.'

'I can't ask you to do that.'

He snorted and got up off the bed, pacing across the room. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, but I could see from his tense posture and tight jaw he was raging internally.

'Edward, please, talk to me,' I pleaded softly.

'What's there to talk about?' he dismissed, whirling around to face me. 'You obviously don't want to live with me!'

'It's not that simple, Edward!'

He whirled around, anger and hurt in his eyes.

'It was when you were pregnant.'

His words felt like a slap in the face. How could he bring that back up, _now_ of all times? Didn't he know how much it still hurt to think of?

'I can't believe you just said that,' I whispered.

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

I sat back in the bed, stunned and shocked, the sheets wrapped around me like a protective cocoon. But it couldn't protect me from the hurricane of emotions raging through me in that moment.

Somewhere in my mind it registered that Edward cautiously approached me, whispering profanities and regret all combined. I knew he was sorry. I knew he was hurt, too. I knew this was all too much to take.

I didn't fight him when he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him. Instead, I broke down, my right arm around his neck in a near chokehold as my other fist pounded his chest. I was crying so hard I couldn't even speak, though my lips tried to form words regardless. But no words were needed. He knew. My pain was his pain.

The next thing I knew, I was in his lap, clinging to him as if he could disappear any second. He was holding on to me just as tightly. His lips, moments before whispering in my ear of his love and reassurances, were on mine, telling me with their touch what words couldn't express.

And right then, nothing else mattered.

We would talk about the rest later.

_I've found a reason to show_

_A side of me you didn't know_

_A reason for all that I do_

_And the reason is you_


	9. Balloons, bikinis, and DNA

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I just play. A lot.**

**A/N This chapter was entered in the Birthdayward Contest. I tragically came in last, but the other entries were very worthy opponents, and I'm grateful for the votes I did receive.**

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><p><strong>Edward<strong>

Summers were usually a lot of fun around here. We had a few birthdays to kick off the free months, and various combinations of grandparents flying in for the occasion, combining it with a short vacation for them. After that, our parents would often arrange for a quick trip for us as a birthday gift; this year, they had rented us a villa in Malibu in August. I was already looking forward to the sun and surf, and couldn't wait to experience all of it with Bella by my side.

With our birthdays not even three weeks apart, Jasper, Rosalie and I usually had a little get-together somewhere in the middle, especially since my father and Esme had become more serious. So this weekend, the house would be full. My father's parents were flying in from England, where they had moved back to after retiring. Grandma Brandon was also visiting from Chicago, as well as Esme's parents, from Ohio. Her ex-husband had bailed on his children once more, sending a text and a deposit to their bank accounts instead, and his parents had long since passed away. Still, with Rosalie moving in a few weeks before, it was busy, and I was glad I had my own bathroom. I didn't even want to contemplate the logistics involved in a dozen people having to share just one.

The upside, as well as the downside, to having everyone stay at the house was that there was always someone around, and our grandparents were intent on catching up and learning of any new developments in our lives.

Rosalie was very brief: 'I broke up with Emmett and I don't want to talk about it.'

Alice happily interjected, garnering double the attention and a grateful smile, 'Jazzy and I are in love and extremely happy!'

That triggered a lengthy discussion that excluded both Rosalie and me, and before anyone's focus could shift, I excused myself to go see Bella. She was practicing diligently for her upcoming driving test, and with me finishing up on a term paper, we hadn't spent nearly enough time together. True, we had spent most of the night and day of my actual birthday holed up in my room, but that had been almost a week ago and I hadn't been able to spend the night with her since then.

**o.O.o**

I picked Bella up for her driving lesson and instructed her to navigate to Emmett's apartment by the end of it.

'We're not going to your place?' she wondered.

I grimaced, 'Unless you want to be the object of intense scrutiny… no.'

She giggled, 'That bad?'

'Not for me, right now. They've only arrived this morning. At the moment, they're busy discussing every aspect of Alice and Jasper being together.'

'Poor Jasper…'

'Yeah, well, it was only a matter of time. And they'll be fine. I just don't want to introduce you right after that. They'll have to wait till Saturday. Besides, I haven't seen Emmett since last week, so we might as well kill two birds with one stone. How is he, by the way?'

Now it was her turn to grimace.

'It's bad. I don't think he leaves the house for anything besides my driving lessons, and those I'm pretty much teaching myself. Did you know he was thinking about proposing?'

I didn't.

Though it shouldn't have surprised me, after what had happened in February.

That made the entire situation even more bizarre.

'All the more reason to hang out there tonight,' I said. 'He probably won't want to come this weekend. Okay, pay attention when approaching this intersection…'

**o.O.o**

A few days later, Jasper and I found ourselves tying brightly colored balloons to the deck's banister, while my father made sure the patio furniture was arranged to accommodate the expected guests, and Rosalie and Alice helped Esme prepare snacks and drinks.

'So, who's all coming?' Jasper asked.

'Besides the people already here? Uhm… I think Bree and Jane with their boyfriends, Diego from the tattoo shop. So, a small crowd. And of course Bella, and maybe her parents.'

Once we were finished with the balloons, I made sure the grandparents had a drink as Jasper checked the pool, before sitting down to relax for a few minutes.

'So, Edward,' Grandpa Cullen started. 'Are we ever going to meet that young lady of yours?'

'I've seen some pictures,' Grandma Brandon offered. 'She looks very pretty and sweet.'

'I'm curious to meet the girl who instigated such a wonderful change in you,' Grandma Cullen said, beaming.

As if on cue, my phone chimed with an incoming text.

'Actually,' I smiled after reading it. 'That was her. She and her mother just pulled up. If you'll excuse me.'

I quickly made my way to the front door, even though Bella usually used the spare key. Bella and Renee stood waiting patiently on the front step, laden with packages and a bag.

'Hey, baby,' she smiled at me from behind her pile.

I stepped aside to let them in, stealing a quick kiss from my girl as she passed.

'Could you put these with the other gifts while I put my bag in your room?' she asked, handing me the items in her arms, before dashing up the stairs.

She looked positively adorable in her jeans shorts and white tank top, and I found myself looking after her as she ran up the stairs. Her gorgeous legs went on for miles in those cut-offs, and I ached to have them wrapped around me again.

Renee clearing her throat brought my attention to her, and I helped her carry the gifts over to the table Alice had pointed out earlier. I then proceeded to introduce her to my grandparents and offered her a drink. Soon I spotted Bella emerging from the patio doors, so I walked over to her, taking her hand.

Leaning down to kiss her, I whispered in her ear, 'I love seeing you in my clothes.'

She fingered the hem of the black and white plaid shirt she had picked up in my room.

'I couldn't resist.'

After another quick kiss I guided her over to where my grandparents sat assembled, looking at us expectantly.

'Everyone, this is Bella Swan. And yes, she's Emmett's sister. B, these are Grandpa and Grandma Cullen, Grandma Brandon, and Grandma and Grandpa Platt.'

She shook hands with each of them, smiling politely. They exchanged pleasantries, and I could tell she already had them wrapped around her fingers.

A few minutes later, a voice called out to me and I noticed Diego had arrived, an exotic beauty on his arm.

'Hey man, good to see you!' I greeted him.

'Thanks for inviting me. Nice house,' he said, looking around appreciatively.

He motioned to the tall dark-haired girl at his side, a colorful three-quarter sleeve running down her left arm and several piercings visible in her ears and face.

'This is Zafrina. She's my new piercer at the shop. And my girlfriend,' he announced.

'Great to meet you. Have a seat and I'll get you a drink. Beer alright?'

After making sure they were settled, and introducing them to the rest, I sat back down next to Bella. Diego pulled a pack of Marlboro from his pocket and offered me one, too.

'No, thanks, I quit a while ago. I've been chewing these suckers like crazy,' I said, sticking a fresh toothpick between my teeth.

To be honest, I didn't really miss the smoking, more the act of having something between my fingers and lips. The toothpicks were a handy substitute, and much healthier, not to mention cheaper. My father, obviously having overheard, patted my shoulder as he passed.

'Alright people, it's time for presents!' Alice announced, not so subtly depositing a large box in Jasper's lap.

Obviously, she wanted to be first.

In the half hour or so that followed, the deck became littered in gift wrappings while thank-yous were called back and forth. We had decided not to get each other anything, but I had chipped in on Bella's gifts, and I was sure Jasper had done the same with Alice. Emmett was taking Jasper and me on a boys' night out. Our grandparents had made donations towards our California getaway. Renee had apologized for Charlie's absence, and presented the three of us with a $100 iTunes gift card each. Alice had bought Jasper a pair of cowboy boots, which he promptly put on. It looked kind of silly with his Placebo band t-shirt, but it suited him. Bella and I had bought him a new case for his guitar. Jane and Bree were taking Rosalie on a spa day, during which she could use Alice's voucher for a mani-pedi, as well as a selection of nail polish that came in a bag labeled 'Chanel'. From Bella and me she received _A Discovery of Witches_ and a pre-order voucher for _Shadow of Night_, a new book series Bella thought she'd love. I received some pretty awesome gifts as well: Alice had splurged on tickets to Muse, who were performing in LA the week we would be there. Diego, who had gotten Jasper a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label, and Rosalie a bottle of Licor 43, presented me with a voucher for $200 off my next tattoo. I quickly informed him Bella and I would be contacting him during the summer for her sidepiece, and an idea I had for a new one of my own.

But the best gift was Bella's. She picked up two large rectangles from the table and handed them to me, kissing me softly.

'Open this one first,' she instructed, pointing to the one in blue wrapping paper. 'Carefully!' she cautioned when I was about to tear the paper off.

Gingerly, I removed it, to reveal a large canvas print. It was a picture of us – kissing – taken during the photo shoot we'd had on Valentine's Day, after my father had married Esme.

'Wow, baby, it's gorgeous. Thank you,' I said, and kissed her, before showing it around, earning appreciative murmurs.

'There's one more,' she prompted, handing me the other rectangle, in white paper.

This one contained another canvas print, but now consisting of a collage of pictures of the two of us together. I stared at it in awe, struck silent for a moment, before pulling her in my lap and giving proper thanks.

'It's for our living room,' Bella whispered.

I gaped at her, shock probably clear on my face.

Had I understood that correctly? Was she moving in with me?

Around us, people carried on with their conversations and banter, oblivious to the importance of our exchange.

'Does that mean…?' I was almost afraid to ask.

She nodded, 'Not officially until I graduate, but yes.'

At that, a huge grin spread across my face, and I pulled her back for a passionate kiss, not caring who was witnessing it. We only broke apart when Jasper and Diego started catcalling; Bella hiding her blush in my neck, while I smiled at my friends proudly. Then I caught Rosalie's gaze, pain and conflict evident in her eyes.

'I'm so sorry, guys,' she stammered. 'I can't do this.'

She made a hasty exit, leaving confusion in her wake. Jane and Bree got up to follow after her, but Esme motioned for them to stay, instead going inside herself. There wasn't anything any of us could do in this situation; she would have to figure it out on her own. And, selfish as though this might sound, I wasn't going to let this rain on an otherwise perfect day.

**o.O.o**

The party progressed without any difficulties, with people chatting and mingling. Alice had stripped out of her dress – it was actually one of Jasper's tanks – and was lounging in the pool, talking a mile a minute with Zafrina, as Jasper had taken out his guitar and was tinkering on it, Rosalie's friends listening with interest. Esme was still inside with Rosalie, but my father was entertaining Renee and the grandparents.

It was pretty warm, and with Bella's pert butt on my lap most of the time, I had gotten increasingly hot and bothered. The water looked too tempting, so when I noticed Bella was distracted, talking to Diego, I took advantage. Running towards the pool, I scooped her up in my arms and jumped in the deep end while she screamed and wriggled playfully. She knew I'd never let anything happen to her.

When we resurfaced, she swatted at me half-heartedly while laughing and spluttering a bit. She swiped her wet hair out of her face and licked the water from her lips. The sight of her tongue, pink between her lips that were still a bit swollen from our earlier kiss, settled my giddiness, replacing it with want. I wanted that tongue between _my_ lips. On an impulse, I lunged for her, pushing her against the side of the pool, claiming her mouth with my own. She gasped in surprise, but immediately snaked her arms around my neck while wrapping her legs around my waist and kissing me back hungrily, before pulling back and panting in my ear about having an audience.

'I don't care,' I growled lowly in her ear. 'I want you. And I can't wait till tonight.'

I locked eyes with her, hoping she could see the lust swirling in them, fighting my rational side, begging for release, audience be damned. She inhaled sharply and nodded near imperceptibly.

'Give me a minute,' she mouthed, then extricated herself from my embrace and climbed out of the pool, her loose tank top and my shirt clinging to her every curve, hinting to the absence of a bra.

'The water's great, but I'm going to change into my bikini,' she announced, and quickly made her way inside.

I climbed out as well and plopped down on one of the deck chairs, grinning sheepishly at Renee's stunned face and my father's indulging chuckle.

'Edward, shouldn't you go change as well?' Grandma Brandon asked. 'Those wet jeans can't be comfortable.'

They weren't, but I didn't want to be too obvious in following Bella into the house, so I shrugged before conceding.

'I guess so. I'll be right back.'

Luckily – hopefully – my grandparents were unaware that Bella usually stayed in my room.

**o.O.o**

When I entered my bedroom, Bella was standing in the middle of the room in nothing but her soaked top and panties, glaring at the door.

'What took you so long?' she accused.

She was beautiful in her anger, or frustration, or whatever it was.

'I couldn't be too obvious about following you up here,' I offered as explanation while using the moment to take in the sight before me.

The wet fabric clung to her skin, highlighting every feature of her delectable body. Her eyes were blazing and her chest was heaving with labored breaths. At my words, she huffed, yanked the damp top over her head, and flung herself at me, her lips claiming mine in a near desperate kiss.

'You got me all worked up before,' she panted in my ear while struggling to remove my jeans. 'You'd better make it right.'

I ripped off my own wet shirt and helped her get my pants off. My boxers stuck to the fabric and went down at the same time. She pushed them down as far as she could reach, and I used my feet to kick them the rest of the way off. Bella took a firm hold of me, communicating her need for me, and I groaned into her mouth as I fondled her breasts and let my hands slide down to remove the sorry excuse for panties she was wearing. When my fingers found her wet heat, I dropped my head to her shoulder to taste the skin there. She tasted of sun and water and love and sex, and I craved it every second of every day.

Not wasting any more time, I picked her up, wrapped her legs around my waist, and sunk into her while spinning us around and pinning her against the wall. There would be time for sweet and gentle lovemaking later; in this moment I just needed to be inside her, have her, claim her, consume her. This was pure, unadulterated lust and need. She raked her nails through my hair and down my back, clawing at me to get me closer. Our mouths found each other again, lips locked, panting together in ragged harmony. I wouldn't be able to last long like this, but I wanted her to come, too. With the position we were in, I couldn't do much to help her get there, however. Coy vixen that she was, she offered me her fingers to lick before bringing them down between us. I felt her rub herself and moments later, the first quivers of her approaching orgasm started squeezing me. That was all it took to send me over the edge; I thrust into her forcefully a few more times, feeling her squeeze me even harder as she moaned into my mouth.

I held her in my arms, stumbling over to my couch, and collapsed onto it, still connected to her. She nuzzled my neck while softly stroking my hair, kissing me softly and humming contentedly.

'Thanks, baby, I needed that,' she spoke quietly after a few minutes.

I hugged her even closer to me and kissed her, then gently untangled her from me.

'Let's get changed and go back outside, before someone comes looking for us.'


	10. Smoldering fireworks

**Disclaimer: as usual, I don't own the rights to **_**Twilight**_**, except the right to watch and read it as often as I like. Doesn't stop me from playing with the characters, though.**

**A/N This is something I had already planned to write, and thought it would be very suited for the 4****th**** of July edition of Squeeze My Lemon.**

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><p><strong>10. Smoldering fireworks<strong>

**Bella**

'Leave the door ajar!' Charlie called after us as I pulled Edward up the stairs.

'Yes, Daddy!' I called back, rolling my eyes, thankful he couldn't see my reaction.

All day we had been holding back, knowing my parents were close by, knowing we were in a very public place. But I had also known Edward never failed to amaze me with his creative ways around Charlie's rule – door open, clothes on – during his nights over. Today I had especially been looking forward to coming home, knowing what I had hidden in my dresser as a surprise for Edward.

We had spent the holiday with my parents and brother. Alice had been disappointed at that decision, but I had explained to her that I couldn't neglect my family just because I loved Edward and _his_ family. Also, my parents were as of yet unaware of our plans to move in together, and we had thought it a good idea to use the quality time to prove once more that we were dedicated to each other. Finally, it hadn't seemed fair to exclude Emmett, who was still heartbroken over Rosalie, from any gathering. He hadn't really made any plans for the day, so when Edward had called him to invite him, he had been happy to accept.

That morning, I had made an effort to piece together a relaxed look without dressing completely like a hobo. At last, I had settled on a short, sleeveless jeans overall and a white tank top, paired with my comfy brown Frye boots. For a patriotic effect, I had painted my fingernails bright red, as well as sticking in some red feather earrings.

I had just been putting my cereal bowl and tea mug in the dish washer, when Emmett had let himself and Edward in, announcing their presence with a bellowed, 'We're here!'

Running into the hallway to greet them, I had been surprised by the genuine smile on his face.

'Hey Em, are you okay?' I had asked as I had hugged my brother.

'Getting there, sis,' he had answered, then elaborated. 'I had a little talk with Jazz the other day and I think things with Rose are looking up.'

'That's great! How so?'

'I'll tell you when the time comes,' he had promised. 'I'm still working on winning her back. In the meantime, thanks again for inviting me today.'

'Of course! You're my brother, and Edward's best friend. It's a given!'

He had then left to greet our parents, giving me the opportunity to properly welcome my boyfriend, who had been watching me appreciatively since the moment he had laid eyes on me. After a heated kiss, which had promises in it of things to come, he had complimented my attire and sworn to show me in great detail how much he was enjoying the view.

Renee had stated in advance that she was simply happy to be spending time as a family, but I had known Edward still felt the need to impress Charlie somewhat, so Emmett and I had let him make some reservations. The first part of the day had been spent at Gas Works Park, where we enjoyed the weather and the scenery. I had not been there before, so I had taken my time discovering the old buildings, Edward and Emmett by my side.

Around six, we had returned to the house to freshen up and change into something a bit more appropriate for the evening's setting. I had opted for a white strapless dress with black and yellow flowers along the hem and the illusion of a petticoat. I had kept my hair down, adding a red headband for girly effect. Edward and Emmett had simply exchanged their t-shirts for button-downs, while Charlie had added a jacket to his collared shirt and Renee had chosen a flowing white maxi-dress with a brown leather belt.

Edward had really gone all out to provide us all with a pleasant evening: he had made reservations for a dinner cruise on the _Royal Argosy_, which would also include views of the fireworks. Renee had kept saying it was too much – as did I – while Emmett had insisted on sharing some of its costs. Charlie hadn't commented much on it, but he had grunted approvingly upon realizing what had been in store.

All in all, the food had been succulent, I had enjoyed my complimentary glass of champagne, we had danced to the music on the different decks, and the fireworks had looked absolutely magnificent over the water. Being snuggled in Edward's embrace hadn't hurt, either.

By the time we had docked again, it had been passed midnight, and I had been pretty tired. However, there was still another item on the day's schedule that needed attending…

'Edward, could you go fill up my water bottle in the bathroom while I quickly change?' I asked innocently, handing him the bottle in question.

He wordlessly took it from me, flashing me his dazzling smile. He probably knew I was up to something, anyway. As soon as he was out the door, I took the bundle out of the back of the top drawer of my dresser, opening the tissue paper and taking out the new babydoll I had bought just a few days before. I quickly shed my clothes and donned the soft material. Moving in front of my mirror, I ran my fingers through my hair, making sure it looked okay and puffing it a little bit for a sultry effect. My lips were still perfectly pouty from all the kisses we had sneaked during the day. Spinning around slowly, I took in my reflection and the way the outfit looked on me. At first glance, it was innocent enough: all white, with a light pink ribbon below my breasts and pink edges. The cups had a lacy overlay and were connected with a heart-shaped pendant. The sheer material hinted to the tiny lace panties that came with it, and my nipples were already straining against the cups.

_Looking good, if I do say so myself_.

A knock at the door alerted me to Edward's return.

'Baby, how are you expecting me to keep my hands to myself when you're dressed like sin?' he groaned, eyeing me hungrily and nearly dropping the full water bottle to the ground.

'I don't expect you to,' I answered coyly, turning around to face him and giving him the full viewing pleasure in the process.

'You're cruel, woman,' he accused, stalking towards me.

His movements could have been described as prowling, or sauntering, but he was too much at my mercy in that moment, that those words didn't suffice.

'How can I be, when this is a present for you?'

His answering kiss was all the confirmation I needed; my hands moved to the hem of his shirt, lifting it up and over his head. He gathered me in his arms, pressing me as close to his body as the laws of physics would allow, his lips never breaking contact with my skin.

Although I had initiated this, I quickly felt my control slipping, so I pulled back, wanting to regain it, if only for a little while longer. His disappointed pout almost did me in, but I managed to tell him to get ready for bed. The shimmy I added as I crawled under the covers myself might have served as plenty incentive, because seconds later he had already stripped to his boxers and was climbing in next to me. Sitting up against the headboard, he pulled me to him and started to lavish my neck and shoulder with kisses.

'I swear, if we were in our own place right now, I'd properly ravish you,' he promised, his scruff tickling me.

'Ravish?' I panted.

Any semblance of staying in control and seducing him had gone out the window the moment his lips had made contact with my skin. And they were the only part of him touching me. I wanted so much more; I wanted to feel all of him. But when I reached for him, he pulled back, chuckling teasingly.

'Properly,' he stated, taking in my highly aroused state with a grin on his face.

'And how do you imagine doing that?' I asked.

'Well,' he started, tracing the neckline of my babydoll with a lone finger. 'For starters, we wouldn't have to sneak around or worry about people walking in on us.'

'That's always a good thing,' I agreed, licking my lips and seeing him mirror me.

'So for instance,' he continued. 'I wouldn't mind seeing you in things like this more often.'

Before I could plan another shopping excursion to stock up on lingerie, his words and touch pulled my back to the present.

'But even just knowing you'll be coming home wearing your school uniform… Your bare legs going on for miles, and that skirt barely covering anything… It's such a turn on!'

His voice had dropped about an octave at the same time his hand had moved to my leg. His fingers lightly caressed from my ankle up to my inner thigh, but just when I thought he would go higher, he pulled back yet again, earning a frustrated glare and huff from me.

'Edward,' I complained.

'Patience, love,' he admonished, kissing me softly. 'I'm trying to show you what you do to me. I promise I'll make you feel good. Just lie back and enjoy.'

I complied, getting comfortable in the pillows as he hovered over me, leaning on his left arm as his right hand pushed my hair away from my shoulders. He looked at me, love and lust swirling in his bright eyes, which had darkened to a seductive jade, a testament to his feelings. As much as I reveled in the way his adoring gaze and affectionate touch made me feel, I wanted to continue our game of seduction and teasing. I was wound as tight as a spring right before it would jump and felt like I would burst if he wouldn't make good on his promise soon.

'So what do you want to do then?' I asked softly, reaching for him once more.

He chuckled, and leaned in for another quick but lingering kiss.

'So eager… For starters, I would make sure to be there whenever you get home, so I can take your bag from you and greet you with a kiss.'

He demonstrated by kissing me again, just the soft pressure of his lips on mine and a hint of tongue. It was so sweet, it practically made me melt, yet there was a hint of more to come, a sensual prelude to what was happening both right now and in his fantasy. My right hand was firmly tangled in his unruly hair, not letting him get too far way. When his fingers danced over the fabric of my babydoll, coming to rest near my nipple, I itched to grip his bicep to keep him there, but fear of him retreating once more forced my left hand to stay at my side, gripping the sheets instead.

'After I'd welcomed you home, I would make sure you'd be distracted from your homework for a good while.'

He continued kissing and sucking my neck and shoulder in between words, while simultaneously ghosting his hand over the swell of my breasts, causing goose bumps to break out all over my skin.

'And… how… would you do that?' I managed to ask.

'Well…' he teased, as his fingers lingered over my nipple. 'I would slowly drag my fingers up your legs, under your skirt, until they would reach your panties.'

He demonstrated the action with his right hand, causing an increase in my heart rate.

'I would toy a bit with the edges, knowing you're craving my touch but not giving it to you just yet.'

He moved his hand again, tracing a line from my neck down the center of my chest. I shivered in anticipation.

'Instead, I would slowly unbutton your shirt, revealing your soft skin to me, and worship it with my mouth.'

He deftly moved one of the cups to the side, and the next moment, my nipple was engulfed in his lips as he cupped my breast in his hand. My back arched off the bed, pushing my body further into his touch. He pulled my nipple between his teeth and gave it a slight tug – which immediately echoed between my legs – before releasing it to continue his sultry tale.

'Just when you think I'll spend the next hour or so playing with those beautiful tits, I'm kissing you here' – he kissed his way up my chest to the spot just below my ear – 'while my hand goes back here' – in a caress, his hand landed at the top of the lace covering me – 'where I can tell my play has gotten you so incredibly wet…'

He dragged a finger across the now-damp fabric.

'So wet,' he mused. 'That must be uncomfortable, right?'

I could only nod. Being this turned out with no release was bordering on painful.

'Then I'll take off those pretty little panties,' he whispered decidedly. 'They're blocking my access, anyway.'

He pulled said panties to the side, his fingers skimming the part of me that was aching for him.

'You have no idea how much I love the fact that you've only ever given this part of you to me,' he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

'Only you,' I repeated, breathless.

From time to time, he needed these little reaffirmations; he needn't worry, though, as I was all his, but I didn't mind telling him so. Especially during moments like these, it only fueled our desire for each other. He was still teasing me, barely touching me, but once those two words fell from my lips, he dragged a finger through my wet flesh. I gasped and gripped the sheets a little tighter.

'Some days I might want to leave you like this for a while, and shower you with attention before I take you,' he continued. 'Tell me, baby girl,' he said as he increased the pressure with which his fingers were playing me. 'Do you like it when I put my mouth on you?'

'Yes,' I breathed.

I could feel him smirk against my neck.

'You're thinking I'm going to do that now, don't you?'

I nodded, anticipation heightening my senses. Was he really going to go down on me? My body was definitely all for it, but my mind was screaming at me that my door was still ajar – as per Charlie's rules – and it would be too risky.

Continuing his ministrations, he chuckled before speaking again.

'Not here, sorry. But if we were at our own place…' He inhaled and sighed, his warm breath actually feeling cool on my overheated skin, 'I would get down on my knees and push up that sinfully short skirt of yours, so I can see for myself how wet you are for me.'

To accentuate his words, he used his fingers to spread around my natural lubricant.

'You know I love going down on you, to lick and kiss your soft skin and to taste you on my lips. You have the sweetest taste, Bella. It's your perfect essence, and the most delicious flavor in the world.'

I knew what I tasted like – I had often kissed him after the act and tasted myself on his tongue – but to me it wasn't all that special, let alone delicious. I guess to him it was, also because of an emotional component.

'And the way your body responds to me, baby… It's such a powerful feeling. When you're standing up as I'm worshipping you, I know I'll have to support you so you don't fall when your knees buckle. And buckle they do.'

As if on command, my leg jerked, and he laughed quietly.

'I love that I can do that to you. Make you come undone. Make you _come_.'

At that last word, he applied more pressure to my clit, sending me rushing to my climax. But before I could jump off that cliff into bliss, he slowed down his motions and pulled back. My eyes, up until then squeezed shut because of the overwhelming sweet torture he was inflicting upon my body, opened to find him looking at me with the most feral hunger in his eyes. I was already reduced to an incoherent mess and wasn't able to do anything else but blink and lick my lips. The next thing I knew, his mouth was on mine and his tongue softly swiped across my lips before delving in to intertwine with mine in an instinctual dance.

'Bella, I want you,' he mumbled against my lips.

'Then take me,' I challenged when I finally found my voice again.

Gently, he coaxed me to roll onto my side, positioning himself behind me and hitching my right leg back over his hip after having pushed my panties even further aside. Sometime during his seductive foreplay he had managed to push down his boxers far enough to free his rock hard erection, and I felt it resting between my legs. He took my hand guided it to his cock, using both our hands to position him at my entrance. A flexing of his hips brought him all the way home, and we both suppressed a moan. We had to be quiet. His breath fanned out across my neck, increasing my arousal, and, finally feeling his girth fill me so completely, I quickly felt myself approaching that ledge again.

'Touch yourself, baby,' he grunted, and I eagerly obliged while his hand moved up to play with my breasts.

'Oh, Bella, you feel so good like this,' he whispered before biting my earlobe.

I loved this position, because it combined the intimacy of making love with the comfort of cuddling, as well as providing easy access for my stimulation. As I had already been on the brink of orgasm for a good while, it didn't take that much more before I panted his named as I convulsed in his arms and around him.

Edward buried his face in my hair as he increased the pace of his thrusts and joined me in my high moments later.

What had been smoldering all day had finally exploded in the most sensual of fireworks. I fell asleep with him still inside me and his arms holding me tightly to his chest.

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><p><strong>AN Thnx to T Kegl, Alley Cat, and my friend Michael from Seattle for giving me some info about 4****th**** of July celebrations in Seattle. The Argosy Cruise is 21+ but I took some creative license here to let Bella join in as well.**


	11. A Miracle with Paws

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N This RPOV outtake was donated to Fandom4Vets. I thought Emmett and Rosalie deserved some more room to tell this part of their story. The lovely missrebecca_12 looked this over for me **_**and**_** made me a banner to go with it: tinyurl{dot}com{/}**FTpaws** How awesome is she?!**

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><p><strong>A Miracle With Paws<strong>

**Rosalie**

'I'm so sorry, guys,' I stammered. 'I can't do this.'

Without making eye contact with anyone, I fled from the pool deck, across the patio, through the kitchen, and up the stairs to the guest room that had been mine for the past couple of weeks. It had been decorated tastefully by my mother, of course, in shades of cream with accents of charcoal. But despite the fact that my clothes and toiletries cluttered nearly every surface, it didn't feel like home to me. It was still merely a guest room containing some of my belongings. There weren't even any pictures on the walls, not that I could have looked at them. On the rare occasion I could bring myself to glance at the family portrait in the living room, I was painfully reminded of what I didn't have anymore.

Emmett.

And I only had myself to blame.

I had left.

I had told him almost the exact same thing I told my family just now, before fleeing the party. I wasn't in the mood for birthday festivities.

After stripping out of my pale pink blouse and grey mini dress, I pulled on a pair of yoga pants and the shirt of Emmett's I had secretly packed when I had hastily moved out of our apartment. His smell still lingered on the fabric and I brought it to my nose, inhaling deeply. Noticing my discarded shoes by the door, I carefully picked up the green studded Carvela stiletto sandals and placed them with the other shoes I had brought over. Looking at the meager contents of my closet, I was once again thankful that my brother had offered to pick up some of my belongings. I had been, and still was, too much of a coward to face Emmett after what I had done.

Opening the window to let in some fresh air, I was glad this room was to the front of the house, so I wouldn't be exposed to the cheerful noises and conversations in the backyard.

_Happy birthday to me,_ I thought bitterly, and crawled into bed, hugging one of the fluffy pillows to my chest.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Moments later, my mother's head peeked through, looking at me worriedly. When she saw I was awake, she closed the door behind her and made her way over to the bed, sitting down next to me and running her fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes at the familiar motherly gesture, longing for the uncomplicated days of my childhood. How things had changed since then…

'Rosalie, sweetheart,' she started softly. 'Are you alright?'

'Yeah, Mom, just tired. I'm sorry to bail on you guys, though; I know how hard you and Alice worked to get everything ready.'

'Oh, my sweet girl, don't you worry about that,' she assured me.

I sighed.

'I really tried, you know? I made an effort to be pleasant and enjoy the party. But to see Alice and Jasper being nauseatingly cute, and how happy Edward is with Bella's gift… I just… can't,' I admitted.

'You miss him,' my mother stated.

There was nothing to do but nod.

'Then why did you end things? You never told me…' she prompted, never ceasing her calming caressing of my hair.

I looked at her and saw nothing but concern and affection in her eyes. That was all it took. After weeks of keeping up appearances, shutting people out and my emotions down, my carefully constructed walls crumbled at the gentle touch of my mother's loving hand.

For a while, I just cried as my mother stroked my head soothingly.

'I don't even know where to start,' I whispered hoarsely.

'The beginning is usually a good place,' she suggested gently.

'I can't give Emmett what he wants!' I cried.

'Somehow I doubt that. The boy worships the ground you walk on. I'm sure there's nothing…'

'He wants a baby,' I interrupted her.

'Oh sweetheart,' she sighed. 'Tell me what happened.'

Sitting up against the headboard, I pulled a pillow into my lap as I braced myself to tell it all for the first time.

'Well, last year I went off birth control. We weren't actively trying, just letting it happen. But then the thing happened with Edward and Bella,' I recalled, reliving it. 'And Emmett was devastated. He wanted that baby to be ours so bad… We started trying in earnest. Every time I got my period he seemed to get more desperate. Mom, I can't bear disappointing him any more when I can't give him what he wants!'

She leveled me with her gaze. 'Does he know this?'

'I told him I couldn't do it anymore…' I trailed off when she started shaking her head.

'Sounds to me like you're running away from your fears.'

'No, I'm not,' I protested.

She took my hand, silently calling for my undivided attention.

'Sweetheart, you're my daughter and I love you. But you're not being honest to yourself _or_ Emmett.'

'Mom…' I whined petulantly.

This wasn't what I wanted to hear. She was supposed to take my side and tell me everything would be alright and that I had made the right decision.

'Rosalie Lillian Hale.'

Damn, she middle-named me.

'I get that break-ups hurt, even when you did the breaking. But you're not a child anymore and you're treating the man who loves you unfairly by not being honest with him. Let me ask you one thing: do you love him?'

I was taken aback by her chastising tone and direct words, but my response was so immediate, it was almost a reflex: 'So much, mom.'

'Then that's all that matters. Anything else you'll have to sort out together. Especially when it comes to this. You can't make unilateral decisions like that. Don't shut him out, because if not, eventually you _will_ be on your own.'

I sat quiet for a while, thinking about what she said. She was right, of course, but it was difficult to admit to myself, being as stubborn as I was. Once I could accept her reasoning, it was even more painful to admit what came next.

'I'm scared,' I whispered, barely audible.

She enveloped me in a fierce hug.

'Of course you are. But if you're not ready to go to him, at least promise me this: don't turn him away when he comes to you.'

**o.O.o**

A week and a half later, on my actual birthday, I was still sulking about the house. I hadn't been brave enough to contact Emmett yet, and was thankful for the summer break, making it easier to avoid him. That didn't mean, however, that the pain had lessened. If anything, it had grown. I needed him now more than ever, but I was too prideful and too much of a coward to make the first move.

Fortunately, my family knew better than to try and get me to socialize on this day, and left me blissfully alone. Carlisle was working, Esme had meeting upon meeting with clients, Edward and Bella were apartment hunting, and Alice had taken my twin out to celebrate his birthday.

I had slept in, finally dragging myself out of bed around noon, throwing on a comfy grey shirtdress and pulling my hair back in a messy bun. After nibbling on some crackers, I nestled on one of the sun loungers on the patio with my copy of _A Discovery of Witches_, submerging myself in the intriguing plot of a witch-historian on her quest for an alchemical manuscript. I liked how she refused to be forced into the role of damsel in distress, wanting to fight her own battles.

Right in the middle of the scene in the _oubliette_, I was startled back into reality by _I'm sexy and I know it_ blasting from my phone. I couldn't bring myself to change the ringtone Emmett had set for himself on my phone, and found myself smiling. He had respected my wishes of being left alone for a while, but secretly, I had missed his texts and phone calls. Still, I hesitated in answering, before remembering my mother's advice.

'Hello?'

'Rosalie, hey baby.'

I cringed and flushed all at once at his endearment.

'Hey Em.'

'How are you?'

'Alright, I guess.'

'Good. Good.'

Silence.

'Are you home?'

'I'm out the back.'

'Can you come let me in?'

'What's going on?'

As much as I longed to see him, I was also still scared to face him.

'I need to talk to you,' he sounded so hopeful, my heart ached for him.

'Em…' I sighed.

'Jazz told me,' he blurted out.

I dropped my phone to my lap, squeezing my eyes shut and breathing heavily, forcing back tears. Of course my mother had told my brother, and he had told Emmett; he was one of Jasper's best friends.

After sitting like that for a few moments, the faint sound of him calling my name through the phone pulled me out of my thoughts.

'Rose, you still there? What's going on? Rose?'

'I'm here, Em.'

And I meant that in more ways than one. It was just difficult to explain it all, even to myself.

'Please, baby, I'm right outside the door. I don't want to do this over the phone. Please let me in so we can talk about it.'

**o.O.o**

When I opened the front door, the man standing before me was a sight for sore eyes. Clad in a pair of board shorts and a white tank, his strong, muscular frame reminded me what it felt like to be surrounded by his warmth, feeling safe and at home. I felt myself melt and had to resist launching myself into his arms. After what I had done to him, I had no right. Besides, I needed the physical distance to maintain some semblance of control.

His dark eyes peered over the rim of his sunglasses. A smile spread across his face, answering my tentative one. When he made to approach me, however, I raised my hand, signaling him to not come too close.

_Not yet. I can't._

His smile fell a bit, but he stayed back. It was then that I noticed he was holding something. In his right hand was a leash; on its other end, a dog. A fluffy, black and white puppy. I motioned towards it with my head.

'What's this?' I asked.

'A puppy,' was his brilliant reply, grin firmly back in place.

'I can see that,' I answered, going along with whatever he was doing at the moment. 'What's it doing here?'

'It's yours. For your birthday.'

He extended the leash to me, which I hesitantly took. The puppy padded over to me, looking at me curiously. When I crouched down and reached out my free hand, it sniffed it, before licking it and practically jumping up into my lap. I couldn't help but hugging it close, stroking its soft fur and inhaling its scent.

'He's a husky. His eyes reminded me of you. He doesn't have a name yet, so…' Emmett explained.

I looked at the dog again. It was true; his eyes were the brightest blue. He squirmed out of my grasp, distracted by the flower pots standing to the side.

'But… why?' I asked, still confused.

'Rosie, I don't care about you not being pregnant yet. Yes, I'd love to have a ton of babies with you, but we're still young and we can keep on trying. If we still don't have a baby when we're thirty, we can always adopt, you know?'

Tears started to burn in my eyes at his words. Deep down I always knew he wouldn't fault me for any of this, but I had let my own fears, doubt and insecurities dictate my actions.

'Em…' I whispered, my emotions causing a lump to form in my throat.

'And I figured, in the meantime, we can have this little guy. He'll need mothering, and he's a handful, but he's also perfect for you. Just as you are perfect for me.'

'Em…' I tried again.

'No, Rose, just hear me out first, okay? All I'm asking is for you to not give up on us yet. Give me another chance, and I'll prove to you that I want no one else but you. I'll take all of you, no matter what you can give me down the line. As long as I've got you, I know we'll be alright.'

'Em, I'm pregnant,' I practically shouted.

That shut him up for a moment. His jaw dropped and he ripped his sunglasses off his nose. In a few large strides, he was right in front of me, his large hands cupping my face.

'Are you serious?'

'I just found out last night. I barely slept, being nauseous and not knowing how or when to tell you…'

'We're going to have a baby?' he whispered.

I simply smiled through my tears and nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. I didn't need to, because in an instant, his lips covered mine, both our tears mixing on our skin. I fisted my hands in his shirt, holding him close.

**o.O.o**

We kissed like that for what felt like hours, and there was no place I would rather be. How stupid had I been, thinking giving him up would be the best decision? I had never felt more complete, more alive, than when I was with him, and I had missed the way his kisses always made me feel.

When we finally broke apart, we remained locked in our embrace. Emmett's thumbs stroked my cheeks and jaw and I opened my eyes to find his looking deeply into mine, love and adoration swirling in them. He took the leash out of my hand and walked over to the puppy. He picked it up and turned back to me, a shy smile on his lips. Wordlessly, he handed it back to me.

'What?' I wondered.

'There are still two things we need to do right now,' he explained. 'For one, he needs a name.'

'Let's name him Miracle,' I suggested after thinking for a moment.

'That's perfect, babe! A Miracle to celebrate our miracle.'

I smiled again and scratched the dog's ears.

'Second, you should check his collar.'

Curiously, I reached for it, turning it around in an attempt to find what he was talking about. When my fingers touched the buckle, I felt something small, round and cool. Upon closer inspection, it was a ring. A platinum band with three emerald cut diamonds. Emmett released the buckle, gathered the ring in his hand, and set Miracle back on his feet. He stayed on his knee, took my left hand in his and slipped the ring onto my third finger.

'You had this planned?'

'Baby or no baby, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You being pregnant is just the icing on the cake. Marry me?' he asked softly.

I didn't even need to think about my answer. He was it for me.

'Yes,' I smiled, and kissed him again.


	12. Ink and Frosting

**Disclaimer: I still don't own _Twilight._**

**A/N I donated this chapter to Project Team Beta's Back 2 School Fundraiser.**

* * *

><p><strong>Ink and Frosting<strong>

**Bella**

Soft lips ghosting down my neck and shoulder, and the gentle caress of a strong hand pulled me from my slumber. It had taken some getting used to sleeping alone again during the week, after spending most summer nights in Edward's embrace. Waking up like this on weekends was something I cherished, because when school had started up three weeks ago, my parents had reinforced the previous rules regarding sleeping arrangements. I had been allowed, however, to spend the night with Edward at our apartment on my birthday, even though it was a school night. We had locked the door and turned off our phones, to spend the night in a blissful bubble filled with conversation and lovemaking.

'Happy birthday, Bella,' he whispered in my ear in between kisses, aware that I was slowly waking up.

Without opening my eyes, I rolled over and molded my lips to his, sighing happily.

'Are you sleep-kissing me?' he chuckled.

I hummed in both confirmation and approval, because as he was questioning me, his hand inched down, pulling me closer to him so he could rub his morning wood against me. One of the first things we had agreed upon while decorating the apartment had been that sleepwear would be limited to skin – with the exception of panties for me when I would be on my period. I loved feeling as much of his warm skin as possible. It also made impromptu midnight sex that much easier.

'It's not my birthday anymore,' I replied.

'But you _are_ getting another big present today,' he argued.

'True.'

'Are you excited?' he asked, absentmindedly trailing his hand over the spot in question.

'Very. But also a little scared,' I admitted. 'Will it hurt?'

'Not really. I mean, your first one was alright, wasn't it?' At my nod, he continued, 'This one is bigger, of course, so you'll be more sore and tired afterwards. And your ribs might be uncomfortable. You could take some Tylenol to take off the edge…' he trailed off, but I interrupted that train of thought.

'No! I don't want to numb myself. But you'll be there the entire time, right?'

'I'll hold your hand the entire session and distract you,' he promised before kissing me again.

After a few minutes of mingling tongues and roaming hands, I pulled back just enough to speak against his lips, 'How much time do we have?'

He rolled on top of me to reach my phone on the night stand, and I moaned softly at the feel of his weight pressing me into the mattress. Putting my phone down again, he buried his face in the crook of my neck, causing goose bumps to erupt across my skin as he spoke.

'We need to leave in about an hour.'

'Good. Seeing as I'll probably be too sore for a few days…' I suggested, wrapping my legs around his waist and guiding him inside me.

**o.O.o**

Diego laughed uncontrollably as Edward ripped the sarong and tape out of his hands.

'Nothing I haven't seen before, Eddie. Besides, it's just skin to me.'

Edward grumbled noncommittally while I turned around to remove my zip-up hoodie and tank. Edward fixed the sarong to cover my chest and taped it in place.

'You know he's a professional,' I whispered. 'He'd never do anything out of order.'

'I know that,' he assured me through gritted teeth. 'Still doesn't mean I like the thought of him seeing what's mine. He'll get to touch you more than enough as it is.'

Deciding not to clue him in on the fact that Gianna touched me much more intimately every time I went in to touch up on my wax, I wrapped my hands around his wrists, his hands lingering near my breasts.

'And you know it's just a canvas to him. I love how possessive and protective you are of me, I really do, but this caveman attitude won't help. I need you today, and I need you to keep calm. Can you do that for me?'

He rested his forehead against mine, closing his eyes, and exhaled heavily.

'You're right, I'm sorry. I just can't help it sometimes.'

I tilted my head to gently kiss him.

'I know, baby. Just try not to think about it today.'

With that, I turned around and walked over to Diego, who had given us some privacy and had been setting up his station.

'Ready?' he asked.

'As I'll ever be.'

'Great. I've finalized the design to your specifications, so let's have a look before I position the stencil.'

He laid out the large sheet on the stainless steel bench.

'It's gorgeous,' I praised, and felt Edward come up behind me, resting his hand on my lower back as he leaned in to study the drawing.

'That's going to look stunning on you, Bella,' he agreed.

The water used to apply the stencil was cool against my skin, and I shivered in the air-conditioned room. Observing its positioning in the full-length mirror, I was momentarily rendered mute. It had taken a while for me to get used to the idea of having such a large tattoo, but once we'd started the designing process, I'd become increasingly eager to see the result.

Most of my left ribcage was covered with an angel's wing, surrounded by a tattered banner. The wing's tips rested just below my shoulder blade. It emerged from a bundle of flowers; a rose, a lily, and some freesia. Scattered around the wing and flowers were forty-two stars of different sizes, starting on top of my shoulder and running down to just below the top edge of my panties. The banner ran around the wing twice, and had two lines of writing: _Cherished Dreams – Forever Asleep._

**o.O.o**

Our weeklong trip to California had been filled with sun, fun, and freedom. We had done the typical touristy things like hiking in Griffith Park to visit the Observatory and take our picture with the Hollywood sign in the background, and strolling along Hollywood Boulevard to look for a variety of celebrities' stars, and handprints at Grauman's Chinese Theater.

The villa that Carlisle and Esme had rented for us had been absolute beachfront in Malibu, with a large deck overlooking the ocean, and steps leading down to the golden sand. Edward and Jasper had turned out to be reasonable surfers, explaining that they used to go to the nearby Quileute reservation in high school on weekends to surf with the local boys. I had shivered at the mere thought of braving the cold water of the North Pacific, but had to admit watching Edward expertly ride the MiniMal that was part of the villa's inventory, made me glad that he had. He had tried teaching me, but I hadn't been able to keep my balance long enough to successfully ride a wave all the way back to the beach, so after an afternoon of failed attempts and swallowing half the ocean, I had given up and joined Rosalie under her umbrella.

Newly engaged, she and Emmett had come with us after all, but had decided to take it easy. They were both very careful now that she was finally pregnant – Emmett even more so than Rosalie – to the point where she had begged her brothers to take him off her hands for a day.

We had also found time to do stuff as couples or in other combinations; Edward and I spending an evening at the Santa Monica Pier; Alice, Rosalie, and I going shopping and visiting the Getty while the guys had gone to play paintball. And of course Edward and I had gone to the Muse concert, courtesy of Alice's birthday gift. That night had been one of the best of the summer – gawking at the incredible show, singing along at the tops of our lungs, and jumping around in crazy excitement. During _Endlessly_, I had swayed in Edward's arms as he had whispered the lyrics to me. That's when I had known what words to get in the banner of my sidepiece.

**o.O.o**

'When you're ready,' Diego pulled me from my thoughts. 'Why don't you hop up onto the chair and get comfortable on your right side. We'll only do the outline today, then we'll make an appointment in about two weeks to get it shaded and filled in with color.'

I jumped when the needle first touched my skin, but relaxed at the surprisingly soothing sensation.

Diego explained, 'I'm starting at your shoulder and working my way down. The stars up here won't take that long, so I'll have them out of the way before I move to your ribs. Those are usually the most sensitive part.'

He was right; about halfway through outlining the wing and the banner, the feeling was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Not necessarily painful, more annoying to the point where I wanted to smack his hand away, which, for obvious reasons, I couldn't. Edward noticed, and took the hand that wasn't supporting my head, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb.

'Are you okay?'

I nodded, frowning in concentration.

'You're doing great, love. Just try to keep your breathing even.'

Behind me, Diego cleared his throat, calling Edward's attention, and he glanced at him before focusing back on me.

'So, has Alice called you yet?' he asked.

I knew he was trying to distract me, probably per Diego's instruction, but I wished he'd chosen a different topic.

'Do you really want to talk about that right now?'

'Now is as good a time as any. Why?'

'I don't want you to get upset or angry.'

'Who says I will?' he challenged.

'Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you.'

Diego traced the banner, moving from the side of my breast to the back of my ribcage. Edward raised my hand to his mouth and brushed his lips against my knuckles, smiling encouragingly.

'She kind of avoids me still.'

'How is that possible, you have, like, every other class together?'

'Well, you'll have to ask her. She manages to not acknowledge me. At least, not to my face. Angela says she looks at me when I'm talking to someone else, almost like she wants to come over. But she doesn't. She hangs out with Jess a lot and doesn't invite me.'

'Yeah, Jazz said you haven't been over this week. It's weird, totally not Alice. What happened to make her act like this?'

I felt the needle trace the lines of the wings between the pieces of the banner and had to suppress a giggle when it passed over a particularly ticklish spot. Then I sobered a bit. I wanted to shrug, but couldn't without messing up the tattoo, so settled for simply pulling a face.

'She's jealous.'

Edward blinked, not understanding what I meant.

'Of us. Of what we have.'

'But she has Jasper…'

'Not the way she wants him. She envies me for the freedom I have with you.'

'She calls your father's restrictions _freedom_?'

'That's what I told her, but according to her, I can at least come to your place and have privacy.'

'Yeah, but that's only on weekends, and only as long as you keep your grades up till you graduate. I don't get why she's acting so childish. And why now.'

Telling Edward all this actually did manage to distract me from the feeling of the needle going over my ribs, but I could tell Edward was getting frustrated.

'Then you're really not going to like what triggered it, I'm afraid.'

'Let me guess: your birthday.'

'Yup.'

'How the hell is that related to you being at our place on weekends?'

I smiled, loving how he had never once referred to the apartment as his place – it had always been ours. Squeezing his hand, I tried to calm him down from his building rage. Yes, I was upset about the situation with Alice, but I could sort of understand her point of view, too. If the situation had been reversed, I probably would have been the jealous one.

'Not directly, but… Hey,' I interrupted myself when I saw him roll his eyes in exasperation. 'Let me explain what happened, and then you can pass judgment, okay? I don't think Diego would appreciate it if I were to jump up from this chair right now to chase after you because you ran out of here in a fit of anger.'

'Neither would you,' Diego mumbled, his face inches from my skin as he worked on some details of the banner.

After Edward looked properly chastised and he settled back onto his stool, I continued.

'She wanted to throw me a slumber party. This weekend.'

'When did she spring this on you?'

'A little over a week ago. So I told her this weekend wouldn't work for me, and she thought I was blowing her off to spend time with you. Before I could tell her about this appointment, she started a rant about me forgetting my less fortunate friends, who don't have boyfriends with apartments and who have to sneak around at their parents' place. When she was finished, you were already picking me up, and after that she wouldn't answer my calls.'

'She's jealous of you and me having sex?' Edward wondered. 'That's just stupid.'

'I didn't say she made any sense…'

'I know for a fact she and Jasper have sex all the time.'

'Baby,' I interjected, not really wanting to discuss his sister's sex life. 'You're forgetting one little detail. Sex, yes. Sleep together, no.'

'What do you mean?'

'Carlisle and Esme know they're having sex, they're not stupid. I mean, they realized we were doing it right the next day. But they're not allowed to sleep together there.'

'And she blames you for that?'

'No, I think she just wanted to have a sleep-over and then took out her frustration on me when I had to decline.'

Edward just nodded, his lips pressed together into a fine line. I could see him stewing internally about all I had just divulged. I hadn't told him all that had happened before, because I had hoped Alice and I would make up after a few days of letting her cool down. She appeared to be more stubborn than I had thought, though, and I knew hearing the full story now couldn't be easy on him.

At that point I noticed it was suddenly much quieter in the room. Diego was wiping down my skin, the cool paper towel feeling heavenly against my raw flesh, and the gun was turned off.

'Why don't we take a break? From tattooing _and_ drama?' he suggested with a wink. 'Zafrina!' he bellowed to the front of the shop. 'Has lunch arrived yet?'

Earlier during the session, Zafrina had come in, asking us what we wanted to order for lunch. She had been popping in between appointments and walk-ins, curious about the progress of the tattoo.

Edward seemed lost in thought, so Diego helped me up from the chair and directed me towards the mirror so I could see what it looked like so far. My skin was slightly red and raised, but the lines were sharp and I could already tell the end result would be worth any temporary discomfort.

'We'll do the coloring in two sittings. I'm thinking to just shade the wing with grey, and add some blue highlights. The banner can be a more golden brown color, to give it a weathered and old look, and we could have the blue feature in the print as well.' When I nodded, already seeing it in my mind, he continued, 'As for the flowers, brighter colors would work well with your skin tone. I was thinking of red for the rose, purple for the freesia, and pink and white for the lily. What do you think?'

I could only grin at him in the mirror and nod profusely, making him laugh.

'Alright, let's see about lunch, then get this puppy finished for the day.'

**o.O.o**

Edward was quiet as we ate, and at one point got up and stalked to the door.

'I'll be right back, I need some fresh air,' he muttered on his way out.

'Didn't he quit smoking?' Diego asked.

I nodded, 'He's probably gone to call Alice and yell at her.'

'Want me to get him for you?'

'Nah. He needs some time to cool off, too. I didn't want to tell him like this, but…'

We finished eating, and after a quick bathroom break, I climbed back up the chair, lying on my back, since he would be outlining the lily, which was on my stomach, first. I didn't know if it was the location, or fatigue, or something else, but as soon as he started, it felt different. This part was actually painful. I tensed, trying to keep as still as possible.

'Try to relax your breathing, Bella,' Diego instructed.

'I'm trying,' I groaned.

He continued for a few minutes while I tried to keep my squirming to a minimum, but finally, we both recognized it wasn't working. He put down the gun and stuck his head out the door, calling to Zafrina in the front of the shop.

'Tell Eddie to get his panties untwisted and his ass in here. His girl needs him and we can't afford to bitch about sibling drama.'

Moments later, a distraught looking Edward came rushing in, almost knocking the stool to the ground in his hurry to be by my side.

'Oh Bella, I'm so sorry, baby, what's wrong?' he cried, grasping my hand and kissing my forehead.

'Turns out her ribs are alright, but her stomach is her tender spot,' Diego offered, to which I nodded, grimacing. 'She could use your distraction.'

'What do I do?' he begged.

'For one, don't go yelling at your sister right now. Second, whatever it takes to distract her and make her comfortable. I don't care what you do, as long as you don't have sex on this chair.'

I would have laughed if I hadn't been in that much discomfort. As it were, Edward managed to smirk mischievously. I swatted at him haphazardly, and he grabbed the hand that was flying at his head, bringing it to his lips, before leaning in to kiss me. And I'm not talking a chaste peck on the lips, seeing as we weren't exactly in private. No, this kiss was toe-curling. Momentarily forgetting Diego's presence, I moaned softly into Edward's mouth, and fisted my hand in his hair. That moan turned into a hiss as I felt the needle touch my tender skin again, and Edward doubled his efforts, nibbling softly on my bottom lip.

'Good,' Diego praised. 'Just try not to move. Keep the action above your shoulders, and concentrate on him, Bella. You're doing great.'

I did as instructed, more than happy to lose myself in our kiss, as Edward leaned over me, gently stroking my face with one hand while the other teased the inside of my right thigh. Since I was already practically topless and moaning, I wasn't that concerned anymore about the tingling anticipation building.

'You'd better be ready to make good on that,' I warned him.

'As long as you keep my artwork intact, you can go at it as soon as you get home, for all I care,' Diego muttered, causing me to finally blush while Edward laughed against my lips.

'You know that I always follow through,' he whispered seductively.

He kept me occupied while Diego finished outlining the lily, alternating between softly ghosting his lips across mine and nibbling and sucking on the swollen flesh. It certainly diverted my attention from the uncomfortable sensations being inflicted upon my stomach.

'Okay, Bella, I'm almost done with this bit. We'll take a quick break so you can get a drink, and then I'll do the final part for today. But I think it'd be a good idea if you take something against the pain when we do the color on this section, otherwise it'll be too rough on you.'

'Are you sure that'll be alright?' I wondered aloud.

'As long as you don't take anything that contains blood thinners, and you only take a little bit, you should be fine,' Diego assured me.

**o.O.o**

After a much needed bathroom break – the vibrations of the gun that close to my bladder weren't exactly helping – and a quick drink while Zafrina inspected our progress, I settled down onto my right side again for the outlining of the rose and freesia.

'This shouldn't be as painful,' Diego promised.

Still, I braced myself for the onslaught. The first few minutes reminded me of the previous hour or so, because he was working so close to the lily. Edward held my hand and kissed me again, filling my mind with lustful thoughts. When the needle moved further back, I hummed in appreciation. This actually felt pretty nice, especially compared to before.

'So,' Diego interrupted our bubble. 'I guess I'll be seeing a lot of you guys the next couple of weeks.'

I turned my head to look at him, confused.

'I though you said we should leave two weeks in between sessions, to allow it to heal?'

'He did and we will,' Edward offered. 'But I'm coming in next week to get some new work done.' He then turned to Diego, 'Did you finish the design yet?'

'Top drawer of that file cabinet over there has a folder with your name on it.'

Curious, I followed Edward with my eyes, intrigued when his face lit up with a smile.

'What are you getting? And why didn't I know this?' I questioned.

'I wanted it to be a surprise for you,' he said, walking back over to his stool by my side.

I perked up, careful to not actually move my body while at the same time creating a better angle to look at the sheet of paper in his hands. He noticed, and folded it against his chest, obscuring my view.

'Patience, love. I'll show you, but first I want to tell you what I'm aiming for in the end.'

When I settled my shoulders back down and motioned for him to continue, he smiled.

'I want my left arm turned into a sleeve eventually. Of us.'

My brow furrowed, confused at what exactly he meant. Fortunately, he didn't hesitate in elaborating.

'I already have your zodiac on my wrist, and eventually I want to extend that upwards to include whatever else happens in our life together. Like, important dates and events and stuff.'

My mind was busy conjuring up images of a slightly older Edward holding a baby while Diego added another part to the sleeve in question, and my heart skipped a beat. In the last few months I had grown even more ready to really build a life with him, and having him confirm the same hopes made me love him even more.

'For starters,' he continued. 'Next week I'm adding this to my upper arm.'

With those words, he turned the paper around to show me the stencil. On it was a drawing of three polaroids, slightly overlapping each other. The positioning suited its intended location on Edward's toned arm, but what struck me the most were the images on the polaroids.

'Is that what I think it is?' I asked

He nodded.

'You. Or… parts of you, anyway.'

The top polaroid showed my eye, while the middle contained an image of my lips.

'I showed Diego some picture of you that I love and we decided to focus on some of my favorite parts of you,' he explained as his cheeked tinged slightly pink. 'They're going to be black and white, with only some color in your lips.'

The image on the third polaroid cause a lump to form in my throat; it was a close-up of my right wrist, showing the tattoo I had there, as well as the charm Edward gave me for Christmas. He loved seeing his symbol on me and took every opportunity to place a soft kiss onto it. It made sense for him to include it in the design. As if reading my thoughts, he picked up my hand and pressed his lips to the tattoo while locking his eyes with mine.

'I love it,' I told him, smiling.

'I love _you_,' he answered.

'Alright, lovebirds,' Diego laughed. 'We're almost done for the day. Bella, could you move onto your back again, so I can do the last couple of stars?'

Twenty minutes later, he shut off the gun and wiped down the entire tattoo, the cool, damp paper towel feeling divine against my tender skin. Edward helped me down from the chair and gently removed the tape keeping the sarong in place. Then he and Diego went to the front of the shop while Zafrina came in, offering to slather me with lotion before bandaging me, knowing Edward wouldn't like another man's hands on me like that.

'It's going to be beautiful, Bella,' she said. 'Leave this on for two hours, then gently wash it and reapply lotion. You'll want to sleep in an old shirt for a while so you won't stain your clothes or sheets. Be sure to treat it twice a day, and then it should heal nicely for your next sitting.'

'Thanks, Zafrina,' I said, carefully pulling my tank top back on.

'Have that boy take care of you tonight. Trust me, you'll be exhausted by the time you get home.'

**o.O.o**

True enough, I could barely keep my eyes open in the car. I remembered getting in, then next thing I knew, Edward opened my door and released my seatbelt before helping me out and guiding me to the elevator of our building.

I sank down onto the couch as he disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later he returned with two Heinekens and a plate with a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting.

'What's an extended birthday without cake?' he winked, placing the plate and bottles on the coffee table.

He lifted my legs and slid underneath before handing me one of the beers. I gingerly leaned back against the armrest, sipping my drink. It was pretty much all I could muster; I was that tired – even light conversation seemed too much. Edward effortlessly tapped into my mood and simply fed me bites of the cupcake. I did try to be less of a buzz-kill by slowly licking the frosting off the fork and my lips. It appeared to do the trick. He shifted my legs away from him slightly, his eyes fixed on my lips as he swallowed thickly.

'B-Bella…' he stammered, setting the plate down.

'You promised me something earlier,' I hinted.

Unfortunately, I was still rather sore, and I winced as I leaned forward to put both our bottles back on the table.

'I don't think that's such a good idea,' Edward hesitated. 'Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it, but are you sure you're okay?'

'I'm just a bit tired and tender, baby,' I assured him. 'And icky. This bandage needs to come off. Help me take a shower?'

'You're not too sore? I don't want to wear you out…'

'You won't. Baby, you got me all worked up with your distractions. Please, make me feel good before I pass out completely,' I reasoned.

'Fair enough,' he shrugged, and got up, pulling me to my feet. 'You head on over to the bathroom, I'll be right there.'

I used the time alone to clean my face and brush my teeth. There was no point in trying to get undressed without help, not with the bandage restricting me and the lotion sticking to my skin. _Best to wait for Edward to help me with that_, I figured. As I was running the shower to get the hot water flowing, he came in holding one of his threadbare t-shirts.

'So you'll be comfortable while you're healing,' he explained.

We stood there, simply looking at each other for a few moments, before he approached me and carefully lifted my tank top over my head before peeling away the bandage. He then helped me step into the shower, placing my hands around his neck for support as he washed my body and hair, paying special attention to my new tattoo. When I was squeaky clean, he proceeded to make good on his promise and touched me in ways he couldn't while we had been at the shop.

**A/N Bella's tattoo is a variation of my own sidepiece (****http:{/}tinyurl{dot}com{/}d4tzz4b****). The coloring will also be similar, but with a red rose, a white-and-pink lily, and purple freesia.**

**The experience was pretty much the same for me, except that I didn't have a hot guy there to distract me…**

**Thanks to Missrebecca for looking this over for me and making the pretty banner, and thanks to Diana Wolfskill for helping me come up with an appropriate title.**


	13. What happens in Vegas

**Disclaimer and A/N As usual, I don't own _Twilight_, but I did come up with this storyline. The wonderful missrebecca took time out of her busy schedule to look this over for me and offer valued feedback.**

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><p><strong>13. What happens in Vegas…<strong>

Even at our own place we didn't always get the privacy we expected. Our friends and parents usually let us be, only contacting us when they needed to. Emmett and Alice were a different story, however.

After Edward had laid into his sister for her childish behavior towards me, she had shown up the next day with flowers and a large tub of Ben & Jerry's, sobbing an apology. I had been happy to forgive her, but Edward had given her the cold shoulder throughout her visit.

'Is he still mad at me?' she had asked after he had left to go work out with Jasper, kissing me goodbye, but not acknowledging her.

I had shrugged, 'He's just being stubborn. Give him some time. Does Jazz know?'

'Yeah,' she had pouted. 'And he agrees with Edward!'

As it turned out, Jasper had agreed she had been acting childish. He had, however, further explained the situation to Edward during their workout. When he had returned, Alice had clung to him in a fierce hug.

'I'm sorry, Eddieward.'

With that childhood nickname, the fight had been resolved.

After that, she would call or drop in unexpectedly, and I had indulged her for a while, as she had been feeling neglected in our friendship. After the second consecutive weekend, though, I had put my foot down, asking her to respect my time with Edward as well.

But if it wasn't Edward's sister interrupting our private times, it was my brother. It got to the point where I wondered if they were deliberately calling us or dropping by when we wanted to be alone. It wasn't that we didn't socialize; we just wanted some time by ourselves during our weekends as well.

One particularly inconvenient instance happened when Emmett called us on a Sunday morning late September. I had woken up to Edward's soft groans and hungry eyes, since I had been rubbing myself on him in my sleep. As soon as he had noticed I was awake, he had pinned me to the mattress to have his wicked way with me. While holding onto the wrought iron headboard, Edward had been leaning up on his hands, with my legs over his shoulders as his hips rolled against mine in a deliciously torturous rhythm, hitting all the right spots.

And then Edward's phone had started to ring. We had ignored it, completely engrossed in the moment. But then my phone had started to ring with Emmett's ringtone.

'Ignore it, baby,' I had panted against his lips, and we had continued our lovemaking.

Emmett had been insistent in trying to reach us, though, because our phones had kept ringing. Finally, Edward had answered his phone, putting it on speaker, not ceasing his movements inside me.

'What, Em?' he had said, the sound somewhere between a growl and a moan.

'Dude, what the hell are you doing? I've been trying to call you for the past twenty minutes.'

'Your sister,' Edward had deadpanned.

He had grown more and more comfortable with exposing my brother to the physical aspects of our relationship. It wasn't as if we were sneaking around – we were pretty much living together. Emmett, however, wasn't at that stage yet.

'Christ on a bicycle! I don't need to know that!'

'Then stop calling us on the weekend,' I had piped up, stifling a moan.

'I will, trust me, but this is important. Can you guys come over for dinner tonight? We've invited everyone, because we have some news about our wedding.'

**o.O.o**

And that's how I found myself in Las Vegas for Halloween. Rosalie had explained they had been tempted to elope there during our summer vacation in Malibu, but had decided they wanted their family present. We had booked several rooms at the Rio, Rosalie and Emmett having reserved the Masquerade Suite. I was glad our room wasn't near any of our parents', as that would have been slightly awkward. Sure, the rooms were well-isolated, but I didn't want to risk them hearing us or us hearing them.

Edward eyed me hungrily as I put the finishing touches on my costume.

'Are you sure that's appropriate for a wedding?' he asked. 'Not that I'm complaining…'

I was wearing a blue babydoll dress with puffy sleeves and a sash just below my breasts. I paired it with white thigh-highs and black Mary Janes.

'Excuse me?' I feigned hurt. 'I am perfectly decent. Just because Rose is being more demure these days, doesn't mean I should. Besides, you should see Alice. Or Esme, for that matter!'

He groaned and covered his ears with his hands.

'I so do not need to know that!'

'Well, you'll see them when we get downstairs, so you might as well be prepared.'

I applied some lip gloss and stuffed it, together with my phone and our key card, into a small purse to match my dress, before we left to meet the others and split up until the ceremony.

When we had been making all the arrangements for this long weekend, Rosalie had insisted she wanted a low-key, fun wedding, with a bit of a Halloween theme.

'Em and I got together at Halloween, so we want to honor that,' she had explained.

We had all been free to choose our own costumes, so long as we would represent a famous couple. Alice had taken on the task of coordinating everyone's looks, and had grilled us during Rosalie's bachelorette party, which had consisted of a spa day and movie night. Satisfied that there would be a variety of costumes, she had actually refrained from interfering with their execution.

We met Emmett at his and Rosalie's suite. He was pouting at being forced to be parted from his bride but perked up when he caught sight of our costumes.

'Bells, did you accidentally buy from the adult store?'

Not understanding his question, I checked to make sure my hem wasn't in the back of my panties – which it wasn't. Catching on to my confusion, he elaborated.

'I always thought Lady Marian wore a long robe and a pointy hat.'

'I'm Wendy,' I enunciated slowly.

'Wendy? But why is he dressed as Robin Hood, then?'

'Dude, do you see a bow and arrow anywhere? I'm Peter Pan!'

'Oh. Right. I see.'

'We all chose different time periods,' I explained. 'And since you and Rosalie already chose a medieval couple, we picked this.'

Emmett looked very handsome in his dark grey tunic, black cape, black leather pants, and boots; truly representing a medieval knight.

I ushered them both downstairs, telling them to head on over to the chapel, before knocking on the door. A vision in sleek black satin and lace greeted me, and I did a double-take at Esme's costume. The resemblance to Morticia was uncanny. A giggle escaped my, trying to picture Carlisle with slicked back hair and a pencil mustache, calling her _cara mia_.

'Bella! You look absolutely adorable!' she gushed. 'Though I hope you didn't make Edward wear tights…'

'No, I got him the option with the pants,' I assured her. 'As much as I love his legs, no man looks good in tights.'

We both laughed at that truth, and she stepped aside, allowing me to enter. In the bedroom, I found Rosalie, still in her robe, seated at the vanity, while Alice, as Cleopatra in a dark brown dress with blue and gold accents, was busy applying her make up.

'How are you feeling, Rose?' I asked.

'Surprisingly calm and relaxed. I'm just so ready to marry him.'

Our hug was interrupted by Renee entering the room with a tray full of steaming cups of tea.

'Doesn't she look radiant, Bella? And that dress, it's stunning!'

The dress she was putting on for her Isolde-inspired costume fit her like a glove and emphasized her baby bump in a most tasteful way. The white dress had a loose cut with a wide V-neck and flaring sleeves with moss green trimming. Her hair was slightly curled and fixed with a delicate head band, as well as a few scattered, thin braids.

'It is,' I agreed. 'Rosalie, you look almost ethereal like that. Emmett won't know what hit him. But mom, please tell me dad isn't trying to pull off a leather jacket?'

Renee was flitting around the room in a pale pink petticoat dress, her hair styled in a clean-cut Sandra Dee bob.

'No, I got him the suit from the dance scene, so his shirt can match my dress. If you ignore the mustache, he actually looks a lot like John Travolta.'

After Rosalie was declared perfect and the photographer had arrived to take a few pictures, we all went downstairs and piled into the waiting limousine that would drive us the short stretch to the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. If all of our costumes weren't _Halloween_ enough, they had decided to get an Elvis wedding ceremony to top it all off. The guy was decked out to the limits in his tight white jumpsuit with rhinestones and cape. It was hilarious, and perfect for my brother and Rosalie.

Emmett and Jasper were waiting at the end of the short aisle, with my parents, Esme, Alice, and Edward gathered around in a half-circle. As maid-of-honor, I walked down the aisle to the sounds of _I can't help falling in love with you_. Carlisle then escorted Rosalie in, placing her hand in Emmett's, before joining Esme. Rosalie's biological father had not been invited to the wedding, as she preferred Carlisle as a father-figure. The ordained Elvis impersonator performed a tasteful ceremony of 'getting these lovebirds hitched'. I could feel Edward's eyes boring into me, but I couldn't tear mine away from my brother, and the way he was regarding his bride. There was so much love in the room at that moment.

'By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, and by the King himself,' Elvis drawled. 'I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Swan. You may kiss your bride.'

Emmett didn't hesitate, and swooped Rosalie in his arms as Elvis started crooning _Love me tender_. Both Esme and Renee discretely dabbed at their eyes, and I glanced over at Edward and Alice, who were smiling broadly. When the newlyweds finally came up for air, I whispered my love to my new sister as I embraced her, before being enveloped in a fierce hug by my brother. We were then ushered over to a table at the side, photographer in tow, to sign the necessary paperwork. I felt so proud, signing my name to their marriage certificate.

**o.O.o**

After some more pictures, we returned to the hotel, where a private section of the restaurant had been reserved for our party.

The appetizers cleared, Jasper stood up and cleared his throat, calling the attention of the table for his speech as best man.

'I first met Emmett during freshman orientation, and we have been inseparable ever since. I introduced him to my best friend Edward, and within weeks we were being referred to as the Three Musketeers. We shared everything, hung out, and we pretty much knew everything there was to know about each other. Imagine my surprise when, after a few months, Emmett came to me, telling me he'd fallen in love with my sister. At first I thought he was joking. But then I saw the sincerity in his eyes, and that was something I'd never seen in him. He was always the jokester of the three of us. To say I was apprehensive would be an understatement, and it took me a while to get used to the idea. But then I saw the way he affected my sister, and how truly happy she was. In the end, it's a good thing that both my best friends are now my brothers. There's no one else I'd trust more with my sister's happiness. So here's to the happy couple, and the little young'un on the way. Cheers.'

Having taken a sip of the apple juice in my champagne glass – glad both Rosalie and Alice weren't allowed to drink either – all eyes moved then to me expectantly. I blushed, feeling a bit uncomfortable under that much attention, and decided to just address the newlyweds.

'I haven't known Rosalie that long, officially, but I have known _of_ her for quite some time. You see, Emmett and I were pretty tight growing up, and I missed him when he left for college. We e-mailed and talked on the phone a lot, and I've never been more grateful with the invention of Skype. Our parents were, too, as it decreased our phone bill.'

That got a few laughs around the table, and Renee smiled up at me indulgently.

'So, I pretty much knew what was going on in his life. He'd told me he met a couple of guys,' I continued, feeling Edward's fingers gently caress the back of my leg as I mentioned him and Jasper. 'And they were hanging out, and they were good friends. Now, if there's one trait my brother and Rosalie share, it's being loyal to their friends, to their loved ones, to what they stand for. I remember the first time my brother told me about Rosalie. It was in an e-mail, and I don't recall the exact words, but the gist of it was that he basically said, _I've been seeing my friend's sister for a while now, and he doesn't know it yet._ That alone was enough to tell me he was serious about this girl. He's loyal to his friends; he wouldn't keep stuff from them, so for him to keep this girl to himself, to shield her from his friends, from his sister, spoke volumes.'

At my words, Rosalie and Emmett exchanged a look, and he raised her left hand to his lips, kissing it just above her ring.

'And then I met Rosalie when she came over for Christmas that year. She was nervous of course, meeting her boyfriend's family for the first time, spending time at their house overseas. But she was nice enough and I took a liking to her. We talked more regularly after that, and I regretted not being closer to them. Rosalie would make a good friend, I believed. That all changed last year, when my parents and I moved to Seattle as well, and Rosalie and Emmett immediately opened up their home to me, welcoming me. Over the past year Rosalie has truly become like a sister to me, and I'm glad to be making it official today. Guys, I'm so happy for you and I wish you all the best. I can't wait to meet my nephew in a few months.'

**o.O.o**

The evening continued with all of us enjoying our meals and various conversations, while watching Emmett and Rosalie interact. Since they had gotten back together and engaged, he had slipped effortlessly into the role of doting husband and father-to-be. He made sure Rosalie was comfortable, sometimes being a little on the overprotective side, but it was endearing nonetheless. During this wedding dinner, he was repeatedly caught whispering in her ear, sneaking in little kisses, and reverently caressing the bump holding their son.

I looked up at Edward as I felt his hands on me; one on my knee, the other playing with my hair, the fingers of that hand brushing along my neck in the process. His beautiful green eyes, shining with love and happiness, looked intently into mine. There was an underlying tension in them, and I tried to figure out what could have caused it. Attempting to take it away, I smiled up at him, confessing my love for him once more. He smiled back before closing his eyes tightly, biting his lip, and swallowing thickly. When his eyes opened again, the happiness was replaced with regret and longing, and my heart fell, knowing what the most likely reason for that was.

'That could have been us, Bella,' he spoke softly.

Blinking back my own tears, I placed my hand on top of his, moving it to cup my cheek and placing a kiss to his palm.

'Oh, Edward…' I sighed.


	14. Preparing for eternity

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I just play. This time, unbeta'd.**

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><p><strong>14. Preparing for eternity<strong>

**Edward**

If someone would have told me five years ago I would be happier today than I have ever been, I would have laughed in their face. Then I would have decked them for disrespecting my mother's memory so blatantly.

If they then would have told me my happiness would be caused by a brunette angel with the most gentle soul I would ever know, I would have flipped them off and fucked the first available girl. That had been my coping mechanism for so long.

I shuddered to think of where I would be now had I not grown tired of that empty existence. But I had, and I had been rewarded by Bella walking into my life, giving me purpose again.

The sixteen months that I have known her have been the most difficult, and simultaneously the most effortless of my life. Knowing that she loves me makes me go on where before I would have given up. She makes me want to fight my own demons and others' preconceived notions of me, in order to prove myself worthy of her. And for some miraculous reason, she sees something in me worthwhile.

It had been clear to me for over a year now that this was the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with; this was the woman I wanted to marry. The realization had been overwhelming at first, especially since it had happened so soon in our relationship. But I refused to fight these feelings; I never wanted to lose them. I knew she wanted the same thing, yet she still made me work for it, kept me on my toes. She wouldn't give herself to me that easily, and I didn't expect her to. Since that unfortunate pregnancy last year, I proposed to her several times. She had yet to accept. The thing was, she never said she didn't want to marry me; she always said she wasn't ready – we weren't ready. She was probably right. I mean, she was still in high school, and we hadn't been together that long. That didn't stop me from trying, though.

**o.O.o**

Our weekend in Las Vegas for Emmett's and Rosalie's wedding had been particularly difficult for me, and suddenly I could relate to Emmett's reaction when he found out Bella had been pregnant. Seeing my step-sister and best friend promise themselves to each other and their unborn son, happiness radiating off them, triggered the painful realization that, hadn't Bella miscarried, we would have had our baby by now. We would be a family. I had tried to focus on the occasion at hand, not wanting to ruin their day, but hadn't been able to keep it from Bella.

I had been playing with a strand of her hair, watching her observe the newlyweds in their little family bubble, when she had looked up at me and whispered her love to me.

'That could have been us, Bella,' I had confessed.

Her eyes had been shining with unshed tears as she had sighed my name, before taking me aside and enveloping me in a fierce hug.

'Don't do this, Edward,' she had said. 'Don't ruin this. Don't make today about us. It's _their_ day, and we should be happy.'

'I am,' I had argued, but she had interrupted me.

'You know I'm yours, and I do want to marry you. But not like this.'

She had softened her words with a few sweet kisses before continuing, 'Next time you ask me, it'd better be good. Because I'm going to say yes.'

**o.O.o**

I honored her wish and hadn't proposed to her since. That didn't mean I didn't think about it.

Trying to come up with the best way to go about it didn't prove that easy, though, and I had almost slipped up on a few occasions.

One such event was our getaway to New York for New Year's Eve.

I had booked us a room at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel. It was luxurious and comfortable, but not too extravagant, and was situated in a good location for our explorations. I had been to New York a few times before, but it had been Bella's first visit, and I had wanted to give her the full experience. We had acted like typical tourists; walking around to take in all the sights, strolling through Central Park, visiting the MoMA and the Met. We had ascended the Empire State Building, paid our respects at Ground Zero, went ice skating at the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, and danced on the Piano in FAO Schwarz.

I had suggested getting tickets to one of the many New Year's Eve parties, but Bella had said she wanted to start the new year by making love to me, and who was I to deny her? So when midnight rolled around, I was buried inside my girl, the fireworks from outside reflected in her dark eyes, whispered promises of love and forever being exchanged between moans and kisses. I'd had to bite back a proposal right there and then, knowing it would not do to propose right after, or during, sex. Not for her. Instead, I had held her close and kissed every inch of skin within my reach.

The next day, I had arranged a spa appointment for her, giving me some time alone as well. I had told her I would hit the gym, and I had eventually, but first I had picked up tickets to a Broadway show, and had made a stop at Tiffany's to buy a ring. I had gone in with a general idea of what Bella would like, so I had asked the sales lady to only show me platinum or white gold rings, with sapphires. It hadn't taken me long to reach a decision, and for the first time since signing the paperwork for our apartment the previous summer, I had dipped into my trust fund.

It was well worth it, and I couldn't wait to slip the ring onto her finger. The little black velvet box was burning a hole in my pocket so to speak, stashed away in my sock drawer, where I knew Bella would not venture.

**o.O.o**

One thing was for sure: I would not propose on Valentine's Day. Not only did it mark my father's and Esme's wedding anniversary; it was also too emotional for both of us, considering the year before. We had decided to not do anything special, just wanting to be together and relax, but I hadn't been able to resist doing at least a little something special for her. The week before, I had gone by U-Prep to buy a rose for the Secret Admirer Rose Exchange which was organized each year.

When I had gone to pick her up after school, a tear-filled Bella had jumped in my arms, rose in hand, telling me to take her home. As soon as we had walked through the front door, she had made for the bedroom, discarding her uniform along the way and demanding for me to strip as well. Catching up to her by our bed, I had realized she had gotten me a gift as well: she had been wearing the most sensuous dark blue satin and lace bra and panty set. I had taken care in peeling it off her before gently laying her down on our bed and slipping inside of her, savoring our connection.

Afterwards, we had lounged on the couch in our living room, a bottle of wine opened, and a dvd playing. She had then told me how overwhelmed she had been when she had received the rose and accompanying note. I had been absentmindedly tracing the tattoo on her side. Bella's eyes had followed the movements of my fingers, and in a soft voice she had confessed that the tattoo meant more to her than just a representation of our love and her peace of mind.

'The words reminded me of the baby,' she had whispered. 'That's why I wanted an angel's wing. I'll never forget it, and this way, it'll always be with me.'

Those words prompted some very emotional love-making, and solidified my vow to give that to her again.

**o.O.o**

The weeks between Valentine's Day and Spring Break had been even busier than usual. Between mid-terms and preparations for final exams we were already swamped with work. I had just taken my LSATs and was anxiously awaiting their results. Bella had received her first acceptance letters and so far had gotten into each college she'd applied to.

Then Alice had her eighteenth birthday party the last weekend of February. To compensate for the year before – with all that had been going on at that time, my sister had graciously decided to forego a big celebration – she and Esme had organized an elaborate party with Mardi Gras theme on Saturday, to be followed by an intimate family brunch on Sunday.

Bella had looked almost inappropriately delicious in a colorful, strapless mini-dress which, she'd told me, was a Guishem original she had picked out with Alice. Befitting the theme, she had worn the shoes she had gotten for Christmas the year before, their height elongating those gorgeous legs as well as bringing her face closer to mine. She had spent a good amount of time getting ready, the result making me want to lock us in our bedroom to thoroughly ravish her.

'Did you really just spend an hour to get sex hair?' I had grumbled. 'I could have done that in twenty.'

With an indulgent smile, she had kissed me.

'You know we wouldn't have left if we'd done that. Besides, you get to have me as soon as we get home,' she had promised.

I had settled for making sure her lips were nice and swollen before we left.

When arriving at the party, we had both donned Venetian-style masks; Bella's black with purple and silver, mine simply black. The party had been planned to perfection, but some things cannot be foreseen.

About halfway through the evening, Rosalie – though heavily pregnant, she had insisted on attending – had clutched Emmett's arm so tightly, he had winced and quickly guided her off to the side. Alice's party was cut short, and just after dawn the next morning we had welcomed Finn Gabriel Swan into our lives.

That little boy was pure perfection, with Rosalie's bright blue eyes and Emmett's dark curls and dimples. Everyone had their own emotional reaction to holding him for the first time, as did I, but for me, it was watching Emmett place his son in his sister's arms, that had truly hit me like a wrecking ball. Once more, I couldn't help but visualize how the scene before me would have been reversed if things had gone differently the year before.

They had shared a hug as I had kissed Rosalie in congratulation. When I had joined Bella to tenderly stroke my nephew's cheek, his tiny hand wrapping tightly around my finger, she had looked up at me with shining eyes.

'Can you believe it?' she had asked.

Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I had placed a kiss to her temple as I had replied, 'He's amazing. And we'll have this one day, too.'

At that moment, we had both felt exactly the same; a powerful combination of love and happiness for our siblings and nephew on the one hand, and loss and longing for a baby of our own on the other.

**o.O.o**

After that all-nighter, we had all gone home to get some sleep and let the new parents settle in somewhat. Back home in our bed, Bella had broken down in my arms, further steeling my resolve to make her mine, officially and completely, sooner rather than later. I couldn't bear to see her so distraught, battling happiness, longing and guilt.

Instead of the family brunch originally planned, the family had gone over to Emmett and Rosalie, packed with food and good intentions. Rosalie had looked exhausted, but I had also never seen her happier. Miracle was a little confused at all the commotion, but also already fiercely protective of Finn. Whenever someone would approach the nursery – Bella's old room – he would follow, not letting that person out of his sight. It was adorable to witness.

With Bella and Renee preoccupied with Rosalie and Finn, I had taken the opportunity to have an important talk with Charlie and Emmett. Although I knew nothing could technically stop me from marrying Bella – if she'd have me – I had wanted to include them in the process.

Clapping Emmett on the shoulder, I had congratulated him again, 'You and Rose did good, Em. He's gorgeous.'

'Thanks, man. I just hope Alice will forgive us for ruining her party.'

'Are you kidding me? You probably gave her the best birthday gift ever,' I had laughed. 'Anyway,' I had continued. 'There is something I wanted to talk to you both about.'

Clearing my throat, I had leaned against the balcony railing, locking eyes with both of them before starting the speech I had all but memorized.

'Mr. Swan, I hope I have proven to you over the past year that I am sincere in my feelings for Isabella. She is the most important person in the world to me, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure she is happy. Em, I know you were apprehensive at first, but surely you can see that I do my best to take care of her. And I plan on doing so for the rest of my life.'

They had both surprised me by not interjecting, instead letting me continue, eyeing me expectantly.

'Anyway, what I mean to say is… I love your daughter, your sister, and I want to ask her to become my wife.'

'Now wait a minute, son,' Charlie had interrupted me, and I had beamed at the way he addressed me, even though he had looked like he was going to object. 'I agree that you have been good to my little girl, but she is still my little girl. She's only eighteen, still in high school. That's much too young to be getting married.'

'I won't make her do anything she's not ready for, I swear,' I had hurried to assure him. 'But I want to tie myself to her. I'll wait as long as I'll have to until she's ready, but I can't wait any longer to at least have that promise spoken between us. And I'd appreciate it if you'd be okay with me asking her.'

Taking a deep breath, I had faced the two men who held my fate in their hands. Emmett's eyes had been twinkling with mirth, but I hadn't dared hope until Charlie had spoken.

He had let me sweat for a few minutes, though, but then he had extended his hand to me and had pulled me into a hug.

'We both know I won't be able to stop you. But hurt one hair on her head, and you'll wish you'd never met me,' he had threatened.

**o.O.o**

And all of that lead us to where we were now. We came home from Spring Break, blissfully happy and eager set everything in motion. After visiting my father and Esme, making a head start on planning, we had attacked each other within seconds of walking through our front door. I may have actually ripped her shirt when I tore it off her in my hurry to feel her skin against mine. We didn't even make it to the bedroom that first round; our need had been too great. Instead, we claimed each other against the living room wall, Bella clawing at my back as I feasted on her nipples.

An hour later, we had moved to our bedroom, intent on spending the remainder of the weekend naked and entangled. She was on her side with her legs pulled up, while I was hovering over her, my body covering hers as I ploughed into her. Our tongues mingled in her mouth like our sweat mingled on her skin. I sat back up, looking down to see myself sliding in and out of her tight body. She was so damn beautiful like this: her pale skin flushed with exertion, the vibrant colors of her tattoo contrasting enticingly on it against the background of the dark sheets of our bed. Grabbing her hip roughly, I used a little more force to move inside her, and she moaned in response. My gaze traveled up, meeting her lust-filled eyes, and I leaned down to capture her lips, nibbling on them as she eagerly reciprocated. She clasped my hand beside her head, and the sparkling diamond on her finger caught my eye. Her engagement ring. My ring, on her finger. In less than three months, this amazing girl was going to be my wife. The realization rushed through me, fueling my climax, and I practically roared as I spilled inside her, my eyes not leaving hers.

I collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily. Her fingers ran soothingly through my hair, almost lulling me to sleep. I moved to pull out, planting kisses along her skin as I whispered my adoration to her. Finally, my lips found the skin just below her belly button. Remembering her quiet confession earlier, I placed a tender kiss there, silently promising to give her what we both longed for.

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><p><strong>AN Twi-Mom12292005 (who was also the sender of the first Christmas card I received this year) suggested Bella's sidepiece might be in remembrance of the baby they lost. It hadn't occurred to me when I wrote chapter 12 – it was meant more as something to represent how Bella feels at that point in her life – but after having thought about it, it does make sense, given the design and the text. Which is why I refer to it as such in this chapter.**

**I decided to have the actual proposal in another chapter, which will hopefully be ready soon, and it will be BPOV.**

**Bonus points to the reviewer who can guess why I chose Gabriel as Finn's middle name!**


	15. Love in the Eternal City

**A/N Sorry for taking so long to update this story. Real life has been a particular bitch to me lately; I was crazy busy with work (thank you, Christmas rush and end-of-season sale), while trying to work on several stories simultaneously. Not to mention, I want to be able to spend time with my friends, and have choir responsibilities. Add to that two deaths that crushed my spirits, and you have a filled-up and emotional, mojo-drained month. But I'm back now, so hopefully you won't have to wait this long for the next update! Unbeta'd, so I could get it to you sooner, but this also means that any mistakes are mine.**

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><p><strong>15. Love in the Eternal City<strong>

**Bella**

Experiencing Rome with Edward was so different from when I visited on a school trip a few years ago. For one, it was just the two of us – no nosey classmates or meddling teachers. Second, we could do as we pleased – no curfew, no assignments, and no compulsory visits. Third, I got to sleep in Edward's arms every night, and make love to him whenever I wanted. What better way to spend Spring Break?

The scenery and weather didn't hurt either. Edward had booked us a suite in the Hotel Nazionale on the Piazza di Montecitorio, walking distance from several major sights. And not just any suite; the Bouganvillea suite, on the hotel's top floor, offered a magnificent view while bathing us in luxurious comfort.

'This really wasn't necessary,' I told him upon seeing the suite.

'I'm nothing if not thorough,' he countered. 'Besides, you deserve the best.'

I couldn't begrudge him that, and thanked him with a searing kiss. While he collected our bags in the main bedroom, I explored our home for the next week.

The master bedroom was fitted with a large bed covered with the softest sheets and a plush comforter. From it, the view out the windows was something off a postcard of iconic Rome. Front and center was the obelisk of Augustus' _horologium_, re-erected in its current location by a late-eighteenth-century pope. A similar view was offered from the huge water-jet bathtub. I could just imagine us enjoying a bath – and each other – against a backdrop of the city lights. Joining me, Edward took my hand and guided me over to the terrace. There was a slight chill to the air, it being this early in Spring, but the offered blankets and Edward's arms kept me warm enough to appreciate the breathtaking view. When I couldn't help but shiver against a combination of cool air and fatigue, we went back inside to relax in the living area. A basket, filled to the brim with fresh fruit, and a bottle of prosecco in a cooler were waiting for us. Edward motioned to a cabinet to the side, where an electric kettle and an espresso machine were ready for us to be used over breakfast. Once he poured us both a glass of the sparkling wine, I snuggled up on his lap, resting my head on his shoulder and placing light kisses to his neck and jaw.

'Thank you, baby,' I whispered. 'This is going to be a perfect week.'

'I hope so,' he mumbled.

Before I could ask him what he meant by that, he raised his glass in a toast to our vacation. By the time we finished our drinks, I could barely keep my eyes open. Edward smoothly rose from the loveseat and carried me to bed. The last thing I remembered before sleep took me was feeling his arms slide around me and pulling me close.

**o.O.o**

We tried to cram as much sightseeing as possible in our one-week stay. Before embarking on our trip, we had studied a few guidebooks, and had made a list of what we definitely wanted to see, making it easier to divide the sights over the allotted days.

On Sunday, we walked down the Via del Corso towards Il Vittoriano, before ascending the steps to the Capitoline Museums. We spent several hours there, pointing out sculptures and coins that interested us to the other. Where I was mesmerized by the early Empire up to the Severans, Edward was more interested in Republican times, so we were able to complement each other's tales and anecdotes. He explained that his interest focused mainly on the Republican legal system, which prompted a comparing discussion about post-Augustan legislation. Lunch was taken in the _caffetteria_ in the Palazzo Caffarelli, before continuing onto the Forum. We decided to check out the Imperial Forums across the street first, because the vast _Forum Romanum_ would lead us toward the Palatine, in the opposite direction, and we didn't want to miss anything, or having to double back. By the time we completed our circle around the Palatine, the sun was setting and my legs were screaming their protests at me, so we exited the archaeological site on the Via di San Gregorio to take a taxi back to our hotel.

On Monday, we walked around the column of Marcus Aurelius, then took a taxi to the _Parco del Colle Oppio_, a lovely park with ruins of the Baths of Trajan. Opting out of visiting the _Domus Aurea_, we made use of our two-day pass to enter the Colosseum. After that, I spent an obscene amount of time explaining the Arch of Constantine to Edward, before walking down the lavender tree lined street toward the Circus Maximus. Since this was mostly just a large field with some ruins along the edges, we quickly traversed it and continued in the direction of the river, to the small temples that remained of the _Forum Boarium_, as well as two nearby arches. Seeing as it was such a sunny day, we were able to take a lot of pictures, steadily filling up our memory cards. We walked a little ways south to visit the fifth-century church of Santa Sabina on the Aventine, offering gorgeous views over the part of the city we just came from. Crossing the Palatine bridge, we were treated to views of the Tiber island, before navigating the old, narrow streets of Trastevere, towards its ancient basilica dedicated to the Virgin. Using the information in my guidebook, I pointed out details alluding to its history. After having enjoyed a cappuccino in a nearby café, we took another taxi to the church of Il Gesú, from where we walked to the Piazza Navona. Street artists were drawing portraits and caricatures, selling scenic paintings and figurines, and the fountains were absolutely breathtaking. Aside from churches and palaces, there were also a few restaurants along the _piazza_, so we sat down for an early dinner, before slowly making our way back to the hotel to spend the evening with bubbles in the bathtub, another bottle of prosecco, and the strawberries from the fruit basket.

**o.O.o**

The next day, knowing we would be covering a lot of ground, and some of the sights were too far apart to comfortably reach on foot, we rented a scooter.

'If I'd known we were getting a Vespa, I would've packed a little black dress and a string of pearls,' I joked when I saw our mode of transportation for the day.

'We can go shopping, if you want,' Edward offered, but I shut him up with a kiss.

'And I love you for thinking of that, but I didn't come to Rome to go shopping. That's more Alice's style. Just let me wear your Wayfarers and take a picture of me on the scooter, and I'll be fine.'

After that Audrey Hepburn moment, we drove across the city to the Porta San Paolo and the adjacent pyramid tomb of Gaius Cestius. Needing a dose of caffeine, we paused at a nearby café for a cappuccino. It was a tiny little bar on the Via Marmorata with no tables, just a bar along the wall. Halfway through our drinks, a local police officer came in, and was immediately presented with an espresso and a pastry. Reenergized, we continued on through a park with the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla, passed a few churches and some offices, reaching our next destination by late morning. Piazza San Giovanni kept us occupied for an hour or two as we walked through another gate in the old city walls, and gawked at an early-ninth-century banquet hall before entering the impressive baroque Lateran church, where I discovered an early fresco by Giotto, carefully transferred to the newer structure, and protected by a custom-made frame. From there, we crossed the short distance to the nearby church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, another baroque building, but this one dating back to Saint Helena.

'How old did you say this church is?' Edward asked.

'Well, the first chapel was fourth century, but most of the current structure is mid-eighteenth century,' I read from the guidebook.

'I can't believe how old some of these buildings are,' he mused.

'I know, right? Isn't it awesome how much history you can find in this city? A week doesn't seem long enough to experience it all…'

'We can always come back,' he promised. 'So, that's the second church of the day. How many are we planning to visit today?'

He was joking, of course, about the amount of churches on our itinerary – he had suggested more than half of them when we had been planning the trip – but he was right in that quite a lot of them were on the schedule for that day.

Halfway between the Lateran and the Piazza di Spagna, we stopped at Santa Maria Maggiore, another late-antique remnant with later additions and beautiful mosaics. Edward impressed me with his iconographic knowledge, identifying the majority of the imagery. The Spanish Steps were a good spot to relax for a bit, with cafés nearby and sunny warmth to bask in. Taking a slight detour through the gardens of the Villa Borghese and the Piazza del Popolo, we also added some classical antiquity to our day at the mausoleum of Augustus and his _Ara Pacis_, before dropping the scooter off again and grabbing dinner near our hotel.

**o.O.o**

On Wednesday we took it easy, walking the short distance from our hotel to the Pantheon. The sun was still ascending, not quite yet having chased away the morning chill, so I was thankful for my leather jacket and Edward's arm around my shoulder. Luckily, there weren't any large tour groups there when we arrived, allowing us to take in the ancient temple's splendor unhindered. Light and shadows chased each other across the walls and floor in a playful dance, adding mystery to the setting. Raphael's tomb was equal parts beautiful and creepy, in my opinion, but Edward couldn't get enough of its apparent romantic notion.

'Don't you think it's a huge compliment that people thought him so amazing that they imagined nature envying and grieving him?'

'Maybe,' I conceded. 'But it's also a bit arrogant to say, even about someone else.'

'Fair enough.'

The adjacent church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva was a cute little interlude after the famous landmark. I couldn't contain my giggle at the sight of the elephant supporting an obelisk in front of the building. The façade was rather plain; its interior all the more overwhelming, with arches, frescoes, stucco and paintings. Walking around admiring everything, I came to a sudden halt while approaching the life-sized sculpture to the left of the altar. Gaping like a fish, it took me a few moments to explain my stupor to Edward.

'I-I didn't know there would be a Michelangelo in here.'

He chuckled in response, 'In that case, I'll warn you. When we go to the Vatican tomorrow, you'll see a lot of him. And pretty much every other great artist since Donatello.'

'Haha, very funny,' I muttered. 'It's not like I can help being fascinated.'

'I'm sorry, baby, I'm just teasing you. You know I love how excited you get about these things.'

After a cappuccino and pastry in another charming little café, we continued on our path, leisurely strolling to the luxurious Repubblica area and the Baths of Diocletian, part of which had been converted into a small church centuries ago.

'You know what else I love about this city?' I started. 'They don't hide the pagan past.' Noticing Edward was about to object, I elaborated, 'Yes, there are churches everywhere, hundreds of them. And I'm not a big fan of religion in general, with its followers having the hypocritical tendency to develop a superiority complex towards other beliefs. Like, they forget most of their rituals and celebrations have pagan predecessors, or roots in other religions and such. But here, they celebrate their antique origins. Well, at least the buildings do. And where else can you find five-thousand-year-old remains side-by-side with contemporary architecture?'

I spun around, an exuberant grin on my face, finding Edward staring at me, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Without a word, he pulled me close, crashing his lips to mine in a hungry kiss. I melted into his embrace, eagerly reciprocating. Minutes, hours later – having lost all sense of time as usual when kissing him – he pulled back, breathing heavily, his eyes a dark forest green as opposed to their usual grassy tint.

'Damn, baby,' he panted. 'I love seeing you so passionate! It's such a huge turn-on…'

Still pressed close to his body, I could feel exactly how turned on he was, and I barely suppressed a moan at feeling his erection against my stomach.

'Do we have anywhere to go before tonight?' I asked, already knowing the answer.

A slow, wicked smile spread across his face, understanding my intention. Within minutes we were in a taxi headed to our hotel.

**o.O.o**

Barely giving him the chance to close and lock the door behind us, I flung myself at him, pushing his jacket off his shoulders while sucking on his neck. Hearing it drop to the floor, I started on the buttons of his jeans, but Edward was simultaneously trying to rid me of my own jacket, so we struggled for a few moments, before breaking into laughter.

'Baby, just…' he groaned, gesturing to my clothes. 'Get naked. I need to be inside you, like, five minutes ago.'

I hurried to comply and sighed in relief when he lifted me off the floor, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist. The feel of his warm skin against mine, his muscles rippling and flexing under my touch, was something I craved constantly, no matter if it had been days, hours, or mere minutes. It always was more than simple lust; every time, whether it was tender lovemaking or rough fucking, it further cemented our bond. I never felt closer to Edward than when he was loving me this way.

His hands came to rest on my butt, supporting my weight. I managed to grind on him a little as he kissed me, seeking some sort of friction, his chest hair tickling my nipples while his cock was teasing me where I wanted him. He stumbled through the suite, trying to decide where to take me – literally.

My fingers raked through his hair, nails scratching his scalp, as I whispered in his ear, 'Whatever is closest, baby, I don't care. I just want you.'

I emphasized my need for him by biting his earlobe and kissing along his scruffy jaw to his lips.

'In that case,' he managed between kisses. 'Hold on.'

That was all the warning I got before he pressed me against the nearest wall, aligned himself, and thrust in. I would be sure to have some bruises after this, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. Not with the feelings he invoked in me, or the sight of him letting go like that. His hair was falling into his eyes, which were trained on me in a hooded stare. His mouth was slightly open, his lips begging to be nibbled on. His powerful movements caused his cock to hit all the right spots, while my sensitive nipples rubbed against his sweat-slickened chest. The combination had me rushing to my climax, and I felt my legs start to tremble.

Edward's lips moved to my collarbone, and he softly bit down before mumbling into my skin, 'Touch yourself, baby. I need you to come. I won't last much longer. Please, touch yourself.'

His voice was rough with lust, need, and exertion, the sound going straight to my clit. Obeying his plea, I untangled one of my hands from his hair, running it down his chest to rub my clit. I scratched and pinched his nipple when my fingers passed it, earning me a groan from him. A few more thrusts, and Edward's face contorted most sensually. His eyes squeezed shut and his jaw was tight as he thrust hard once more, then stilled deep inside me. Feeling him there, throbbing, my fingers still on my clit, was the final nudge I needed, and I shattered in his arms, moaning his name as I came around him.

**o.O.o**

After having cleaned ourselves up, we headed out for dinner at _Colline Emiliana_, a restaurant offering Bolognese cuisine just off the tourist trail. It was recommended to us by the concierge at the hotel, and Edward had thought to book us a table in advance. We probably were the only non-locals in the cozy little restaurant, but the atmosphere felt like we were sitting down for a family meal. I half expected Esme to bring out a salad and join us. We shared an assortment of antipasti before trying some of the delicious home-cooked dishes on the menu. We concluded our meal with traditional tiramisu, and finished off the bottle of wine we had ordered to accompany our food.

The bill settled, we ambled through the streets the short distance to the Trevi fountain. Tourist-trap though it may be, it was a sight we didn't want to pass. The _piazza_ was beautifully lit, spotlights drawing attention to various details of the elaborate sculpture of the fountain. There were guys around, approaching people, trying to make a sale of flowers or cheesy mementos. Edward indulged, and bought a red rose off one of them, presenting it to me with a flourish. I took it, sniffed it delicately, and tucked it into my messy bun.

'You look so beautiful tonight,' Edward commented, leaning down to kiss me.

'This week has been amazing,' I said once we broke apart. 'I can't believe tomorrow is our last full day here.'

'It's going to be the best day, though,' he said, smiling.

**o.O.o**

We made an early start for our last day, knowing the Vatican Museums would be busy and the line to get in could get very long. Luckily, we were able to move quickly, and Edward's student ID secured us a discounted rate. We spent the entire morning exploring the various rooms and courtyards, trying to take in as much as possible. There was so much to see; architecture spanning centuries, paintings, mosaics, sculptures, frescoes, marble floors, tapestries, sarcophagi… It wasn't until both our stomachs rumbled loudly that we made our way to the exit, buying a comprehensive museum guide to add to the hundreds of pictures we took on the way out. Walking along Vatican City walls to the colonnade granting access to Piazza San Pietro, we stopped for a late lunch near Piazza del Risorgimento, where a small market was taking place.

Sufficiently nourished, we took our place in line, waiting to access the basilica. Edward had me sit on the enclosure surrounding one of the fountains, the famous church and Bernini's colonnade in the background, to take a picture. The sun shone unobstructed, making it almost feel like a summer's day, so the slight spray from the fountain was quite welcomed. When we reached the front of the line, we visited the small gift shop first. An elderly nun was tending to customers, making small talk and offering words of kindness. We couldn't resist and bought several rosaries, even though the only practicing catholic in our families was my Grandma Swan. Foregoing the elevator, we walked the wide, winding steps leading up to the dome. It was a long way, but not exactly tiring, since we kept up a healthy pace, and the steps were evenly spaced. When we reached the inside of the dome, the view down was dizzying, but being this close to the artwork was worth every bit of vertigo I might have felt. Reportedly, you could whisper against the wall, having the sound travel around the dome. Edward wanted to test it and moved to stand across from me.

I put my ear to the wall, and true enough, I heard the faintest whisper, 'I love you, Bella.'

Continuing our climb, the stairway became much narrower, since we were literally climbing the dome now. It made me grateful that it was one-way. I didn't want to imagine having people pass you on their way down, having to make room without tumbling down the stairs. There were slits in the wall, letting daylight come in, but also offering interesting views over the roof and the city, and I couldn't resist snapping some pictures out of them. Having reached the top of the dome, we walked around, taking in the gorgeous view, pointing out all the sights we recognized. We paused when we reached the front again, overlooking the roof over the nave and the _piazza_, Edward standing behind me, encircling me in his arms, his chin resting on my shoulder.

'This is perfect,' I confessed. 'I'm so glad we saved this for today. I can't imagine anything topping this.'

He froze behind me and swallowed audibly.

'Actually,' he started. 'There's something I want to show you here, before we go down and visit the church.'

He moved to stand beside me and I turned to face him as he reached into his right pocket. He took out his phone and handed it to me, having unlocked the screen and asking me to open his picture gallery. He directed me to an album containing pictures from our vacation in Thailand the year before, and instructed me to open a specific one. It showed a roof tile for Wat Pho. Edward's roof tile, which he hadn't wanted to show any of us back then. Seeing the picture, it became a bit clearer to me as to why; the dedication read, _To live a long and happy life with Bella by my side._

'Edward, why are you showing me this now?' I asked, a bit confused.

But when I looked up, my breath caught in my throat, and I nearly dropped his phone. Edward was no longer standing in front of me, but as he took the phone back from my trembling hands, he was on his knee, looking up at me with a nervous, hopeful look in his eyes. Having pocketed his phone again, he took my left hand and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss, before speaking in a quiet yet determined voice.

'Bella, you're everything I never thought I'd need. You brought me back to life and gave me a reason to be a better man than I was. You make my life complete, and I can't imagine spending another day of it without you by my side. I love you so much.'

Tears pooled in my eyes and I tried desperately to blink them away, not wanting to blur my sight of him in this moment. Instead, they rolled down my cheeks.

'Isabella Marie Swan, would you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?' he whispered, his voice trembling.

From his left pocket he produced a small velvet-covered box, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from his, shining with unshed tears as he waited with baited breath. I tried to swallow around the lump that had formed in my throat, seeking my voice.

Finally, I managed to whisper, 'Of course,' causing a glorious smile to grace his face, his tears falling as well. He opened the box, took out the ring, and slid it onto my finger. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a glimmer of platinum and blue stones, and I knew he must have taken exceptional care in selecting the ring. But the most beautiful sight at that moment was the happiness radiating off his face, his jade eyes dancing with joy, as I pulled him to his feet and crashed my lips to his.

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><p><strong>AN It's a good thing I love Rome so much, and have studied and visited it extensively; makes it easier to describe everything they are experiencing in this chapter. I just needed to remind myself that Bella is still in high school in the States, so she wouldn't have all the knowledge I have when visiting Rome. Still, I wanted them to be more cultured than the average, stereotypical American tourists in Europe ('12 countries in 5 days, yeah I've done Europe, man').**

**University students under 26 years of age get free entrance to the Vatican Museum, and a lot of other museums throughout the city. During my last visit, I was still a student – writing my master's thesis, so I got free admission everywhere, especially when I mentioned I'm an art historian.**

**Bella's reaction to Michelangelo's sculpture is mine, the first time I saw it – totally not expecting to run into one of his works there. The elderly nun in the gift shop is not made up; she told me she feels it an honor to volunteer there. I bought rosaries for my grandmothers there, and she included a card with a little prayer in the gift bag. So sweet!**

**Some of the things said in this chapter reflect my own views, some not. Please don't take any personal offence; rather, see it as part of the fiction, if you don't happen to agree with it. Oh, and don't get me started on the pagan roots of Christian rites.**

**FYI: Raphael has always been buried in the Pantheon, despite Dan Brown's comments claiming otherwise. He manages to weave fact and fiction so much that I actually had to look it up to be sure.**

**A picture of Bella's engagement ring can be found here: ****http {:} / tinyurl {dot} com {/} d2njkty**


	16. Cullen wedding planning

**Disclaimer: I still don't own _Twilight_. I do own some of the anecdotes and outfits mentioned in this chapter.**

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><p><strong>16. Cullen wedding planning<strong>

**Bella**

The flights back home passed by in a blur: I pretty much fell asleep at lift-off from Rome, only waking up long enough for our transfer at Heathrow, and during the lunch service somewhere over the Atlantic. When we were approaching SeaTac, Edward woke me up in the sweetest way possible – at least in public.

He gently stroked my arm as he placed feather-light kisses along my jaw, all the while whispering, 'Baby, wake up, we're landing. Wake up, angel.'

As I stretched, he pulled our carry-ons from the overhead compartments, and then followed me down the stairs and across the tarmac to the terminal. At baggage claim, we were greeted by my brother and Rosalie, who had offered to pick us up. Rosalie's eyes immediately zeroed in on my left hand and she let out a squeal that could rival Alice's.

'Oh Bella, it's gorgeous!' she gushed. 'I hope he did it right,' she teased Edward.

'He'd better,' Emmett piped up. 'She wouldn't have said yes otherwise.'

When I was released from their hugs, I noticed there was someone missing.

'Where's my nephew?' I demanded, affronted that I wouldn't get to see him.

'Relax, he's at mom and dad's. We'll go pick him up there so you can also get your car. We figured they'd want to see you guys as well as soon as you got back.'

A little while later we pulled into my parents' driveway and I dragged my tired body out of the backseat of Emmett's Jeep. I was definitely going to let Edward drive my car home. Upon entering the house, Finn's coos and gurgles could be heard coming from the living room, and with a smile on my face I immediately turned toward the sound. With us living fairly close to Emmett and Rosalie, I usually saw my nephew a few times a week, if only for half an hour after school, so I had missed the little guy.

'Look who we found!' Emmett boomed jokingly when he walked in ahead of us.

Finn's head snapped up at hearing his father's voice and he looked around to see who was entering. When his bright blue eyes landed on me, the happiest little grin broke out on his face, and he stretched out his arms. I loved that he recognized me so easily and liked being held by me. I rushed over and scooped him off the floor, where he was playing with some of his toys, as far as he could at just over a month old – he mostly just stared at the dangling figures, trying to grab them.

'There's my big boy!' I gushed, tickling his tummy and kissing his chubby cheek. 'Oh, I missed you, yes I did. Have you been a good boy?'

Edward joined me, offering him a finger to grip tightly in his dimpled fist. Finn just smiled and drooled, loving the attention. The darks wisps of hair on his head stood out in all directions, adding to the goofy look and making him resemble my brother even more.

'Did you have a good trip?' Charlie enquired, looking up from whatever game he was watching.

He had been much friendlier towards Edward lately, and actually showed some interest on occasion. I was glad he finally seemed to have gotten over his irrational apprehension.

'Great,' Edward beamed. 'Have you ever been to Rome?'

'Can't say that I have,' Charlie replied. 'Be sure to show us some pictures once you've got them sorted.'

'Will do,' he nodded.

'How was my baby tonight?' Rosalie asked. 'I hope he wasn't too much trouble.'

'That angel could never be trouble to us,' Renee answered, coming in from the kitchen with Finn's bottle in one hand and a steaming mug of tea in the other. 'Wow, Edward, you actually got a bit of a tan! Was the weather that good?'

Truth be told, Edward just tanned ridiculously well. I had learned that during our vacations in Thailand and California; while I had been slathering on sunscreen to avoid burning up like a lobster, he had been sporting an amazing tan after only two days. A week in Italian spring had given him a healthy glow, the freckles on his nose bringing out the vibrancy of his eyes. Though the sparkle in them could have also been caused by the presence of his ring on my left hand. The ring which Renee couldn't miss when she moved to take Finn from me to feed him his bottle.

'Is that what I think it is?' she asked suspiciously.

I only hesitated for a fraction of a second, wondering what she was getting at.

'If by that you mean an engagement ring, then yes,' I replied, looking her straight in the eye.

'So how did you do it, Edward?' Rosalie asked eagerly, diverting attention from Renee's strange reaction.

Edward went on to talk about our last day in Rome and climbing the dome, getting more nervous with each step we climbed, and both Emmett and Rosalie smiled at us, obviously pleased with the story and happy for us. Even Charlie managed a twitch of his mustache, and that warmed my heart. Renee, however, remained silent, almost to the point of ignoring us as she focused on the nearly sleeping baby in her arms.

'Mom?' I hedged, not liking the awkward tension that hung in the room. 'Aren't you going to say something?'

'I'd rather not.'

'And why is that?' I asked, exasperated.

She sighed before she spoke, 'Because I make it a point to not say anything if I don't have something nice to say.'

Her words were like a slap in the face. You'd imagine a mother would be near ecstatic when learning of her daughter's engagement, yet here she was, saying she couldn't think of one nice thing to say about the news.

'Could you maybe explain that?'

I knew I shouldn't really talk to my mother like that, but her lack of reaction struck a nerve and I would be damned if I didn't get to the bottom of this. I had spent too much time already justifying my relationship to my father; I didn't want to have to repeat that course now with my mother.

'I just don't see why you need to get married.'

'Are you kidding me?' I almost yelled, but at the last moment I held back, not wanting to wake up Finn. 'You were the one who was so supportive of us from the start, but now you're having second thoughts about us?'

'I do not appreciate your tone, young lady,' she warned me, carefully handing the baby over to Rosalie.

'Well, I don't appreciate your reaction, and I think I deserve a valid reason as to why,' I countered.

'Are you sure now is the best time for this?' Edward asked. 'We've travelled all day, you're tired… Maybe sleep on it, and you can talk about it tomorrow.'

'No, we'll talk about it now. I do not understand why my own mother cannot be happy for me. You've said it yourself before, Mom, that you think Edward and I are so good together. You defended us against Dad when he tried to get me to break it off. But when he wants to commit to me, officially, you don't agree? I'm sorry if I don't understand that…'

'I just think you're too young! Bella, you're only graduating high school in a few months. You've got so much life to live before settling down. I just don't want you to rush into things.'

'So I can't experience life if I'm married, is that what you mean?'

'No, it's not, and please tone down on the attitude, miss, because you're about to prove my point. You're only eighteen…'

'Exactly. I'm eighteen. I don't need your consent to get married. But I would really like your support and your blessing. Mom, even if we were to wait five, ten years, it wouldn't change a thing. I love Edward, he is an amazing man, and I am going to marry him.'

'Renee,' Edward offered. 'I asked her to become my wife someday. That doesn't mean we'll rush into it. I only wanted to commit myself to her like this. Blame it on my own insecurities, but it means the world to me knowing that Bella wants to spend her life with me and is wearing my ring. I'm not opposed to a long engagement, if that is what's best.'

That silenced any rebuff Renee might have offered. There was nothing left to counter our reasoning, and she knew it.

'Alright,' she finally spoke. 'Please know that I appreciate the feelings you have for each other, and I can see that you're a good man, you mean well. I'm just asking you to consider all your options.'

'Fine, Mom,' I said, exhaustion settling in. 'We'll have plenty of time to talk more about it. Right now I want to go home and get some sleep.'

'You're not staying here?' Charlie asked, surprised.

'It's the weekend, Daddy. I spend those at the apartment. Especially after what just happened. I'm sure you'll understand. I'll be back Monday after school.'

With that, we said our goodbyes and made our way home.

**o.O.o**

The next morning – or rather, early afternoon, since the day of travelling followed by some much-needed lovemaking had knocked me out considerably – I awoke to Edward's fingers tickling up and down my ribcage. Most of the times we would fall asleep spooning, and I loved feeling completely surrounded by him. But on occasion we would lie face-to-face or with my head on his chest. This time, I had snuggled close to his body, both of us on our side, our bodies molded around each other and my head in the crook of his neck. Smiling, I pressed a few kisses against his sternum. He pulled back a bit, our eyes meeting, and my heart filled with so much happiness I felt like I could burst.

'Hi,' he spoke softly.

'Let's get married,' I blurted.

He blinked, confused, then cocked an eyebrow as he wordlessly raised my left hand to his lips, kissing it just above my ring. I understood what he was trying to point out, but apparently I needed to clarify my statement.

'I mean, let's not wait too long. I'm already moving in officially after graduation, but I want to start college as your wife.'

His answering smile outshone the brightest star, and I knew it was the right thing to do. Who cared what anyone else thought of it? It was our life, our choice, our wedding. Edward wanted it; he had wanted it for over a year now. And I was finally ready.

Before I could say anything else, his lips covered mine and he rolled on top of me, easily filling me and reaffirming our love.

Coming down from our high, he finally spoke again.

'When?'

'What do you prefer?'

'I think early summer would be best. That way we can have a decent honeymoon and still have time to relax and get settled before school starts up.'

'Perfect! So we'll have your birthday during the honeymoon.'

'I'd like that,' he confessed, a shy smile on his lips.

'Alright then, let's get going,' I said, moving to get out of bed. At his confused look, I explained, 'We need to get groceries, and I want to visit your parents today. Come on, Cullen, let's hit the shower!'

Once realization dawned, I barely made it two steps before he scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder on the way to the bathroom.

**o.O.o**

'Hello? Anyone home?' Edward hollered when we walked through the door of the Cullen house less than two hours later.

I resisted pointing out that all their cars were in the driveway, making it pretty obvious that they were in fact all home. He was too excited to pay attention, anyway.

'Living room!' Jasper yelled back, just as Alice walked down the stairs.

'Hey guys, how was your trip?' She barely let us say 'great' before continuing, 'I'll go let Dad and Esme know you're here. We weren't expecting you today…'

Thankfully, her energetic nature prevented her from noticing us shifting nervously, and she darted off down the hall to Carlisle's study. We joined Jasper in the living room, where he was busy setting up Call of Duty. A few minutes later Esme emerged from the kitchen, the picture of domestic perfection.

'Isn't this a nice surprise?' she said. 'Did you have a safe flight yesterday?'

When everyone was gathered in the living room, Esme had supplied us all with drinks and we had divulged the basics about our vacation, Edward pulled our clasped hands – my left in his right – into his lap and cleared his throat.

'There's another reason why we wanted to visit today. Last Thursday, when we were at Saint Peter's, I asked Bella a very important question.'

The smile and pride in his voice were obvious and all eyes cut to our hands as Edward turned them over, revealing my ring. Alice squealed and rushed over, pulling me from the couch and grabbing my hand to inspect the ring. At the same time, Esme hugged Edward before turning to me and pulling me in a warm embrace.

'That's wonderful news, Bella, I'm so happy for you.'

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. Why couldn't Renee react like that?

From the corner of my eye I saw Jasper clapping Edward on the back in one of those manly one-armed hugs, after which Carlisle shook his hand in congratulations.

'So, have you set a date yet?' Alice asked. 'You'll need to book a venue well in advance. The good places get booked months, sometimes years in advance.'

'We were thinking of June,' I answered.

'That's great! That'll give you guys more than a year to plan everything. I'd love to help you out with anything…' Alice hinted excitedly.

'Actually,' Edward interjected. 'She means this June.'

Alice's face fell, most likely having already envisioned some elaborate event at a grand location. The others just looked at us with a more patient curiosity, waiting for us to explain. Edward moved to sit back down, the rest of us following suit, before he launched into divulging our decision.

'We want to keep it small. Just direct family and some friends. So Dad, Esme, we were hoping we could get married here.'

'Here?' Carlisle asked.

'Have the ceremony in the gazebo, then dinner and party in the backyard,' I explained.

'How many people are we talking about?' Esme asked, grabbing a pen and notepad.

'Let's see. The two of us, obviously. Both sets of parents. Rose, Em and Finn. Alice and Jasper,' I started, ticking them off on my fingers.

'Grandparents: Cullen, Brandon, Platt, Swan, Higginbotham. That's another eight,' Edward added. 'And then just a few friends. Diego and his girlfriend. Jessica and Angela?'

'And Mike and Ben,' I added.

'So twenty-five people in total,' Esme quickly calculated. 'That shouldn't be a problem, right, darling?' she said, turning to Carlisle for affirmation.

'We'd be honored to host,' he answered.

'With such a small crowd, you probably won't want a large wedding party,' Alice probed.

'Just the best man and the maid of honor, really,' I answered, knowing my next question would get my soon-to-be sister-in-law even more excited. 'Speaking of which, Alice, would you please be my maid of honor?'

I couldn't even finish my sentence before she flung herself at me, hugging me tightly while at the same time nearly jumping as she squealed once more. There wasn't anything else to do but laugh with her.

The date, location, guest list, and half the wedding party sorted – Edward would be asking Emmett to be his best man later that week – we discussed a few more options for the wedding. Alice made the suggestion of having the bachelor and bachelorette nights in lieu of a graduation party, and we readily accepted that idea. I made her promise not to tell anyone else just yet, as we wanted to inform everyone who was invited ourselves.

Two hours later, some tentative plans in place and caught up on everyone's Spring Break, we got back in Edward's car to go home after a quick stop at the supermarket.

When we got home, Edward made it a point to get me naked as soon as possible. We haphazardly put away the groceries before his mouth was on me as his fingers worked to get me out of my clothes. He actually was in such a hurry that he tore at my shirt a little too roughly and I heard it rip.

'I do know how to undress myself,' I teased.

'Yeah, but I do it so much better,' he replied smugly.

Combined with his cocky wink and the way his tongue licked a path of my neck, I quickly forgot about my ruined shirt as I shoved his jeans down his hips and wrapped my legs around his waist.

**o.O.o**

On Monday I tried to keep my left hand occupied at all times, not wanting to draw attention to my ring before I could tell my friends. Luckily, Jessica barely stopped talking about their Spring Break vacation – she, Mike, Angela and Ben had driven down to San Francisco, camping along the way and staying in her aunt's house in the historic part of the city.

'So, at the first campsite, there wasn't that much room, so our tents were pretty close to the neighbors', and sometime during night I actually woke up because of the sex noises coming from their direction! It was both hilarious and embarrassing, because we weren't the only ones who heard, and people were actually talking about them, trying to determine which tent it was coming from, but that was pretty obvious, because it was the only tent without a light on, and it was also shaking quite a bit,' she managed in a single breath. 'And two days later we met some college guys who invited us to their camp site for drinks and s'mores, and one of them passed out in the bushes on the way to the bathroom. Naked. His friends had to carry him back to his tent, but they were on either side of him and he was struggling so he was pretty much spread-eagled the entire time, giving everyone a great view of his junk.'

Mike and Ben were snickering, remembering the event, and Angela blushed as Alice and I looked on in amusement. The way Jessica described everything, I could conjure up a clear image of the events.

'Oh! And we took Mike's old Beatle, you know? It pretty much broke down just about every time we stopped. So Ang and I had to steer while the guys pushed it. People kept passing us and honking. We ended up dumping it at a salvage yard outside San Fran, and we flew home.'

'Jess,' Mike finally managed to interrupt her halfway through our lunch hour. 'Maybe you should wait to tell the rest until we have the pictures to go along with the stories?'

'Oh right,' she muttered, looking properly chastised. 'So how was your Spring Break? I bet Rome is ridiculously romantic in Spring…'

'It is,' I sighed, causing curious eyes to focus on me.

'Wow,' Angela exclaimed. 'Sounds like interesting things happened. Go on!'

The others agreed wholeheartedly and I could see Alice bouncing in her seat, knowing what I was about to tell our friends.

'Well, I guess there's no beating around the bush or anything,' I continued, steeling myself for their reaction. 'Edward proposed.'

To corroborate my statement, I placed my left hand flat on the table, showing my ring.

'What?!' Jessica shrieked. 'Ohmigod that is so awesome! And what a gorgeous ring!'

'Congrats, Bells, when's the party?' Mike said, grinning at me, then turning to Jessica. 'I hope you're not expecting that anytime soon,' he winked. 'I'm nowhere near ready for a commitment like that.'

She swatted at him with a huff and a smile before proceeding to gush over my ring. Ben and Angela, the much quieter couple out of our group of friends, just smiled at me. I continued to tell them about our plans so far, asking them to keep it on the down-low as much as possible, since we didn't want to make a spectacle of it.

'Hey B, you know what I just remember?' Alice piped up, and we all turned to her. 'Angela's dad is a minister. Maybe you could have him marrying you guys.'

I hesitated, trying to find the best words to explain what I was about to.

'That's very thoughtful, Al, but… and Ang, don't take this the wrong way, but we don't want a religious ceremony.'

'Don't worry about it, B,' Angela waved off my concerns. 'It's not for everyone. But my mom happens to be a Justice of the Peace. If you want, I can ask her if she's available.'

'That would actually be kind of perfect,' I answered.

I took down her details, promising her to get in touch with her mother soon, and lunch continued as normal as could after the bomb I dropped.

**o.O.o**

Renee was slightly disappointed that I was only taking Alice with me to go dress shopping, but I explained to her that, with the wedding being a small affair, most of the guests would have already seen my dress, if she came along.

'Mom, if you're coming, I'll have to ask Esme as well. And then I'd feel bad about not inviting Rosalie. That's, like, half the wedding party already! I want the dress to remain a surprise. Please understand.'

'Okay, you have a point, but why can't I come instead of Alice?' she complained.

I swear, sometimes I wondered who the parent was in our dynamic. Ever since Edward and I had been talking about marriage, the reasonable woman who supported my relationship had made way for an almost petulant teenager. At least she had moved on from trying to persuade me to wait, but I didn't like having to justify _my_ choices about _my_ wedding to her.

'Because Alice is my maid-of-honor, and she has an amazing sense of fashion. Not that you don't,' I hurried to add, not wanting to hurt her feelings even more by accidentally insulting her style and tastes. 'But she knows the city inside and out. She'll take me to shops and boutiques I wouldn't be able to find by myself, and she knows what I like and what looks good on me.'

I could see that she understood my reasoning, but still wanted to protest at being left out, and I honestly didn't know what else I could do or say to make her feel better. Luckily, at that point Edward swooped in, announcing he had made a spa appointment for the four of us – Alice, Renee, Esme and myself – for the day after, and that cheered her up significantly.

So one Saturday in April, when most girls in our graduating class went out shopping for their prom dress, Alice and I set out to find me the perfect dress to pledge my life to Edward in. In true Alice fashion, she had set up appointments at several bridal shops, and I spent the day trying on a wide array of dresses. I knew I wanted something rather simple, but we decided to try on different styles to be certain about ruling them out, but also just for fun. The big, poufy, ballroom-style dresses made us erupt into giggles, no doubt annoying the sales girls. With my short stature, I practically drowned in them. The sleek, floor-length dresses without any embellishments did nothing for my figure, as they hid any curves.

Finally, at the last shop, we found the perfect dress. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline, and hit just below my knees. The skirt had three layers of chiffon, two white, the middle light blue, and a nude slip underneath. The button-up bodice was made out of satin in the same shade of blue as the layer in the skirt, with a delicate white lace overlay and white sequins scattered on it. Connecting the bodice and the skirt was a wide ribbon of white satin, gathered at the side by a chiffon flower in white with light blue details. I fell in love with it as the sales lady took it out of its protective bag, but as soon as I was standing on the platform, mirrors all around me, I knew this was the dress. It was fun, flirty, young, and exactly what I pictured myself wearing as I walked down the aisle.

'We'll get you some awesome shoes with that to emphasize your legs,' Alice decided. 'No jewelry, because that'll distract from the dress.'

'True,' the sales lady agreed. 'This dress calls for an understated look, otherwise it'll be too loud. Might I suggest a simple updo?'

'Oh, a chignon, maybe with some braids and loose tendrils. Soft and playful. Very light make up, just some liner, blush and gloss. And killer heels!' Alice exclaimed excitedly, taking notes.

That settled, my measurements were taken and we made an appointment for a fitting a few weeks later, after which Alice would hold on to the dress for me.

The next day I picked up Renee and we met Alice and Esme at the spa we all frequented. Edward had splurged on mani-pedi-facials for all of us, and I added a wax to it for myself for good measure. When the receptionist realized the day was a treat for us in the midst of wedding preparations, they opened a bottle of champagne and brought out some fancy finger food and smoothies, not-so-casually dropping a brochure listing services and prices and hinting at the special bridal packages they offered. Using the opportunity, I booked a beauty treatment for a few days before the wedding.

Properly buffed, polished and nourished, we returned to my and Edward's apartment for tea and some more wedding planning. As small as we were keeping it, there were still a lot of preparations involved, but luckily Esme was skilled at this kind of thing and Alice was more than eager to help. Renee, having come around from her initial reservations, gave several helpful suggestions throughout the process. When I had supplied everyone with a steaming mug of tea, Esme took a notepad out of her bag and called us to attention.

'Alright, let's see how far along we are with our checklist. The date is set, the venue arranged, the Justice of the Peace booked, the bridal party chosen, the invitations sent, and the dress and accessories bought. Did I leave anything out?'

Alice and I shook our heads. So far, things were coming along nicely.

'Bachelor and bachelorette nights?'

'Emmett and I are organizing those. We'll have the plans sorted by the end of the month,' Alice announced, all business.

'How about the menu and the cake?'

That question started a lengthy conversation between both mothers, offering their suggestions and setting a date for a tasting. About halfway through, Edward came home from an afternoon spent at the gym with the guys, and he joined us in our bridal planning, slinging one arm around my shoulder while his other hand played with mine in my lap, stealing a quick kiss.

'Have you given some thought about decorations?' Esme asked us. 'I know you said you didn't want anything too elaborate, but what kind of decorations would you like?'

'Well, it's going to be mostly outdoors, so we were thinking of twinkling lights around the terrace, maybe some torches in the garden?' I said, looking at Edward, who nodded in agreement. 'My dress has a bit of blue in it, so maybe we can do something with that as well.'

'I can get you a fabric sample,' Alice offered. 'We can have some organza and lights around the gazebo.'

Esme diligently took notes and hummed in approval.

'How about flowers?' she continued.

'Red roses,' was my immediate response.

I felt Edward tense beside me, his hand stilling and gripping mine tightly. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, having a fairly accurate expectation of the emotion that would be written all over his face. Instead, I squeezed his hand reassuringly, and exchanged a meaningful glance with Alice. Both of them knew why I wanted that particular flower.

'Red roses?' Renee questioned, oblivious to their meaning and our silent exchange. 'Don't you think white flowers will go much better with the overall décor?'

'No, Mom, I want red roses. They will only be in my bouquet and Alice's, anyway.'

Renee looked a bit taken aback by my vehement rebuff, but Esme was quick to diffuse the situation.

'I think it's an excellent choice. They're classic and elegant, and symbolize love.'

She decidedly added it to her to do list and smiled at me.

'Very well,' Renee conceded. 'I was simply wondering.'

'Never mind, Mom. I appreciate it.'

The conversation stilted after that, and when she had finished her tea, Alice announced she would be going home. Renee decided to leave as well, and I walked them out. When I said goodbye, I quietly explained to her the added meaning of my choice of flowers, and understanding dawned on her.

Hugging me tightly, she whispered, 'You're so thoughtful, Bella. Go take care of your fiancé, he'll need you right now, I imagine.'

Alice smiled at me sadly, knowing more about it than Renee could imagine.

Blinking back tears, she said, 'It's a sweet thing to do, B. He doesn't like to show it, but this is eating at him.'

Closing the door behind them, I turned and headed back to the living room, where Edward still sat frozen on the couch, staring off into emptiness. It broke my heart to see him so distraught, but at least this time I could help him somewhat. I moved in front of him, working my hand through his hair in a soothing motion. After a few slow circuits, he looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. Before I could say or do anything else, he pulled me to him, burying his face in my stomach. I rested my knees on the couch on either side of him, straddling him, and held him close, continuing to stroke his head, as he shook with silent sobs. We sat like that for a while until he had calmed down a little.

'I just hate that she'll never get to know you,' he confessed in a hoarse whisper, squeezing me almost impossibly closer. 'My mother would have loved you, but she won't be there to see me get married to the girl of my dreams.'

'Yes, she will,' I insisted. 'She'll be there in your thoughts and in your heart, as well as everyone who's known her. And you know the roses are for her. And when you're dancing with Esme, she'll be right beside you, happy that her friend cares so much for you and your dad and Alice.'

Finally, he raised his head, a small smile shining through drying tears.

'I love you so much, B. I don't know what I did to deserve you.'

There was nothing left for me to do but answer him with a tender kiss.

**o.O.o**

As quietly as possible I tiptoed out of Alice's room, carefully opening the door of Edward's old room. I nearly shrieked when a soft voice called out from the middle of the room.

'Bella? What are you doing in here?'

'Fuck, Edward, you startled me!' I whisper-yelled, my hand clutching my chest in a vain attempt to calm my racing heart.

'Sorry,' came his sheepish reply. 'Come here. Couldn't sleep?' he asked as I crawled into bed, pulling me close.

'Nope. Alice hogs the bedding and Jessica talks in her sleep. I don't know how Angela does it, but I suspect earplugs are involved, and Rosalie is most likely glad she doesn't have to deal with my snoring brother and a baby who doesn't sleep through the night yet. Besides, I was feeling a bit nostalgic about this room. But what are you doing here? I thought you were staying at the apartment?'

He chuckled and placed a lingering kiss on my forehead.

'That's what I thought, too, but Jazz and Em couldn't remember who was supposed to be the designated driver. Neither of them was fit to drive, so I dropped them both off, and then I didn't want to go home alone anymore. Especially knowing you'd be here.'

'You just wanted to see me in my pajamas at breakfast,' I teased.

'That too,' he conceded. 'So, how was the bachelorette night? Did Alice go all out?'

'Well, you know Alice. It was pretty tame for her, really. A lot of typical slumber party stuff, I guess.'

'Really? Did you girls have a pillow fight in your underwear?' he teased.

'Seriously, Edward? Are you going to be that cliché?' I scolded, swatting at his chest, but he caught my hand and brought it to his lips.

'I'm sorry, love. Honestly, I don't even want to think about my sister and stepsister half-naked like that.' He made a disgusted face. 'Please continue.'

So I told him about the aloe vera beauty products Alice had stocked up on, the cocktails Rosalie had mixed, the brightly colored nail polish we put on each other's nails, and the delicious food Esme had prepared for us. Edward nodded and hummed in the appropriate places, but when I told him about how Alice had dug up his childhood pictures, he groaned.

'I hid them with a reason,' he complained. 'They're embarrassing!'

'They're cute,' I countered. 'You were adorable, baby. I didn't even know you were blonde when you were a kid.'

'Yeah, the red didn't start shining through till I was about four or five.'

I had reveled in looking at the pictures of the sweet and innocent child that had turned into my slightly jaded fiancé. Of course we had laughed at the picture showing Carlisle guiding a harnessed Edward across a jungle gym, but I had melted at a picture of his mother – Miss Lizzie, as Rosalie had referred to her – fixing the tie of his uniform on his first day of elementary school.

'Truth?' I asked. When he nodded, I continued, drawing patters on his chest, 'Those pictures showed me how you grew up, as opposed to the tales of your teens that I've heard so much. They offer perspective. And if our kids are half as cute as you, we'll be in a whole lot of trouble.'

He sighed and kissed the top of my head, silently thanking me for honoring that part of him. I continued by saying how we had watched _Magic Mike_, all of us secretly drooling over Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer.

'You watched a movie about male strippers?'

'There was some underlying story involved,' I huffed, but I couldn't really argue; the movie didn't hold much substance besides generous man-candy. 'What about you guys?' I changed the subject. 'What did Emmett organize for your bachelor party?'

Apparently my brother, when collaborating with Alice, managed to pull together a rather classy night for the two of them, Jasper, and Diego. They had booked a private room in one of the more upscale bars downtown where they had dinner and played pool and darts. He had even arranged for a few game consoles so they could play silly Wii games and some other more manly games.

'Sounds fun, honey. I hope the guys weren't too disappointed about the stripper embargo?'

Both Rosalie and I had strictly forbidden Emmett from hiring any strippers. Rosalie's objections stemmed mainly from her thinking it degrading and cheap, whereas I just didn't want some scantily clad woman rub herself all over my fiancé. We had gotten enough of that in the past. Edward had agreed with my reasoning, and Emmett knew better than to defy his wife in this.

'Uhm… actually…' Edward said hesitatingly.

Immediately, alarm bells went off in my head. What had happened that would make him this reluctant to tell me?

'Diego didn't know we had agreed not to get strippers, so when he found out there weren't going to be any, he brought them himself. He said every bachelor party should have them.'

'What?!' I gasped.

My traitorous, self-doubting mind was quick to conjure up an image of a leggy, busty blonde in a sparkly thong giving him a lap dance. I tensed and sat up in the bed, needing some space to properly process the information.

'Baby, he didn't know, and he had already paid them. What else were we supposed to do?'

'Tell them to leave?' I suggested petulantly.

'Oh come on, Bella, you were watching a movie about male strippers,' he countered.

'Exactly. A movie. It hardly showed anything but Channing Tatum's ass and Matthew Mcconaughey in too-tight tops. It's not the same thing as a girl shoving her fake tits in your face.'

'Are you _jealous_?' he asked incredulously.

'What if I am?'

'Then I might need to make you jealous more often,' he answered. 'It's hot!'

'Shut up! I'm serious. I don't like the thought of other women touching you that way.'

'Bella, please,' he soothed, reaching out to pull me back into his arms. 'I did not touch them other than to take their hands off me. I think Diego had the most fun with them in the end.'

'Promise?' I asked, needing the confirmation.

'I promise, love. As interesting as it may seem, those strippers weren't all that interesting, anyway. I'd much rather feel your body.'

With those words, he pulled me onto his lap, pulled off my nightie, and sucked one of my nipples into his mouth. I happily surrendered to his touch, pouring my frustration and jealousy into my passion for him.

**o.O.o**

The next morning, I woke up in Edward's tight embrace as his bedroom door slowly opened and Rosalie came in.

'I thought you'd be here,' she whispered, smiling. 'I don't know how my brother does it, but for such a tiny girl, Alice sure takes up a lot of room.'

I giggled. She had probably found Alice spread-eagled in her bed, the covers bunched around her body. When I would spend the night at Alice's I was always glad she didn't mistake me for Jasper in her sleep. That would have been really awkward.

'Anyway, mom is making breakfast, so you guys should probably come down in a bit.'

'Thanks, Rose,' I said, and she quietly left again, closing the door behind her.

Behind me, Edward stirred and tightened his hold on me.

'What was that?' he asked as he nuzzled my neck, placing a kiss on my shoulder.

'Rosalie. She said breakfast is almost ready. We should get up.'

Neither of us made a move to get out of bed, however. We were both too happy to remain in our little bubble for a while longer. His fingers traced lazy patterns on my hip. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, he coaxed me onto my back and settled between my legs as he kissed a path down my chest, then back up to my lips. Just before he slipped inside, I took his face in my hands and locked my eyes with his.

'One more week, and then you'll never be rid of me.'

'Wouldn't have it any other way,' he replied, smiling lovingly at me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Bella's wedding dress is a white-and-blue version of the dress I wore to Bestie's wedding and again last NYE. A picture can be found on my wordpress.**

**For the road trip shenanigans I dug up some of my memories from my time on the road in Australia, as well as implementing an anecdote provided by my trusted beta missrebecca. Did you guys know she ordered a pair of customized Converse for me, since I can't order them to where I live? She rocks!**

**Uhm… yeah. So, they have a lot of sex. Can you blame them? They're young, in love, and newly engaged. Plus, they're B/E!**

**We're drawing to a close on this story. I'm thinking one more chapter, then an epi. Let me know your thoughts!**


	17. The Rose

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Twilig__ht _or _The Rose_. I just like them both very much and thought they'd enjoy each other's company in this chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong>17. The Rose<strong>

**Edward**

**o.O.o**

_Some say love, it is a river_

_That drowns the tender reed_

**o.O.o**

Restless. That was exactly how I was feeling. Often you hear about men being nervous or having cold feet the closer they get to the day of their wedding. But I was merely restless. I had known Bella was it for me for a long time, and I was more than ready to take this next step with her. It was the waiting that was driving me up the walls. Over the last few weeks, at least we had been together in everything that was going on, with final exams, graduations, and wedding planning. But now I was forced to be apart from Bella until the actual ceremony.

She had officially and completely moved in the day after her last exam, and we had spent the first weekend with the door locked and our phones turned off. I couldn't be happier that I finally had her all to myself and she wouldn't be going home at the end of the day. Or rather, she would already be in our home.

Then somehow it was decided that we would adhere to the tradition of spending the night before the wedding apart. Which is why I found myself so restless. I had already gone for a run with Jasper and had gone over to Emmett and Rosalie for dinner and to play with my nephew. Upon returning to our empty apartment I couldn't settle down, so I had called Jasper again to see if he wanted to hang out and kill time. Alice had answered his phone and informed me they were watching a movie. I had declined their invitation to join them, not wanting to be exposed to the two of them as a couple when I was separated from Bella.

'Don't be so melodramatic, Edward,' Alice had said. 'It's only for one night.'

'I just don't get why she can't be at home with me,' I had complained. 'We're already living together.'

'Because it's tradition!' she had answered, on the verge of outrage.

'Fine,' I had huffed. 'When you and Jazz get married, let's see how you'll like it.'

With that I had hung up and made another attempt at distracting myself. _Guitar Hero_ only managed to occupy me for another hour or so, and around midnight I found myself in my car, driving over to Bella's parents' house.

**o.O.o**

_Some say love, it is a razor_

_That leaves your soul to bleed_

**o.O.o**

I told myself I just wanted to look at her through the window before going home, but it wasn't long until I climbed the tree in front of said window and perched on a thick branch, peeking through the curtains. Her purple lava lamp was casting a soft glow, making her appear otherworldly in her restless slumber. I smiled to myself, realizing our separation was affecting her as much as it did me. Just as I decided to give her a call, my phone buzzed in my pocket with a text.

_Whose brilliant idea was this again?_

Glancing up, I caught her scowling at her screen, and I quickly typed a response.

_Certainly not mine. Somehow our mothers and my sister overruled us._

Not a minute later she replied.

_I hate it. Can't sleep. I miss you._

Not wanting to torture her any longer, I pressed _Call_.

'Edward?'

'Hey, sweetheart.'

She sighed, and I saw her toy with the ends of her hair.

'Why didn't we put our foot down about this? I hate being away from you.'

'Beats me. Somehow they convinced us we should keep this tradition.'

'Well, I don't like it one bit,' she said petulantly.

'Me neither, baby. Just go to your window.'

'What do you mean? Oh…!' she gasped when she opened the curtain and noticed me sitting on my branch.

'Aren't you going to let me in?' I teased when she just looked at me like that for a few minutes.

She hurried to unlatch the window and helped to pull me inside. The branch reached near enough, but it was still a tricky maneuver. I made it into the room in one piece and she flung herself at me, our lips locking.

When we pulled back a bit to breathe, I finally got a good look at what she was wearing and nearly wished I hadn't come in. The black satin nightie with white lace hugged her every curve and made it very difficult for me to remember my resolve to keep this night innocent. I swallowed as I looked at her hungrily, then ran a hand through my hair, trying to quench the dirty thoughts running through my head.

Bella excitedly pulled me to her bed, working to remove my clothes in the meantime. I stopped her when she reached for the waistband of my jeans.

'There's one part of this stupid tradition I want to keep,' I explained after I kissed away her pout. 'The next time I make love to you I want to be married to you.'

_Luckily we won't have to wait much longer_, I added in my head.

She conceded easily, 'Fine, let's just go to bed then.'

I pulled back the covers and climbed in behind her, pulling her back to my chest and wrapping my arms around her. She snuggled into me and, once I placed a few kisses to her neck and shoulder, it didn't take me long to fall asleep.

**o.O.o**

_Some say love, it is a hunger,_

_An endless aching need_

**o.O.o**

The morning of our wedding I woke up with my arm slung around Bella, fondling her breast, as the door creaked open and Renee carefully came in.

'Bella, are you awake?' she whispered, and startled when she saw me. 'Edward!' she chided. 'What are you doing here? You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding!'

I offered a sheepish half-shrug, trying not to wake up the angel sleeping in my arms, and gave her an apology I didn't really mean.

'Neither of us could sleep alone,' I explained.

She arched a brow, obviously not believing me. Not that I blamed her; we had been almost-caught in the act on more than one occasion. However, this time I was actually truthful about simply wanting to sleep with Bella.

'Sometimes, when you sleep with the one you love, you want to give more than sex,' I continued. 'And sometimes not even that. Just wanting to be together. I can't sleep without Bella, so I came here.'

Renee waved a hand, dismissing the situation.

'Not like we can go back and change it, can we?' she asked, resigned. 'Can you two come down for breakfast?'

With that, she left, leaving the door open.

_Okay, hint taken._

A few minutes later we joined Renee and Charlie at the breakfast table. Charlie didn't look surprised at all – Renee must have clued him in – and I actually saw his mustache twitch in amusement behind his coffee mug. Renee had, very deliberately, set out an extra plate across from the one already there, and I was fully intending to obey her silent, though not very subtle, order, but Bella ignored that and plopped down in my lap, daring her mother to object with a look of challenge in her eyes. While I was fully dressed, Bella was still only wearing her nightie, paired with a matching robe, so I made it my business to ensure it didn't ride up or fall open, exposing her. Needing to keep my hands on her to do so was an added bonus.

'I just want to say one thing,' Bella announced. 'Because I see the look you're giving me, Mom. _I_ texted Edward last night. And it wasn't our choice to begin with, to spend the night apart.'

'But…' Renee started to object, only to be cut off by Charlie.

'Let them be, Renee, it's _their_ wedding. Besides, he'll go home after breakfast anyway, and then you can continue with whatever traditional stuff you have planned.'

'Thanks, Daddy,' Bella beamed, then made it a point to feed me breakfast in the most enticing of ways, subtly wiggling in my lap.

**o.O.o**

_I say love, it is a flower,_

_And you it's only seed_

**o.O.o**

Try as we might, the moment arrived when I had to go over to my father's house so we all could get ready. Bella walked me out and kissed me passionately, clinging to me as if I were going on a faraway journey instead of across the neighborhood.

'Just a few more hours,' I promised her, breathing in her scent as I hugged her close.

'I know, I can't wait,' she replied.

More kisses followed and we would have been standing there much longer if it hadn't been for Alice quite literally pulling us from our bubble. Giving me a disapproving look for spending the night, she pulled Bella inside and up the stairs, stating we were wasting precious beautification time.

**o.O.o**

_It's the heart afraid of breaking_

_That never learns to dance_

**o.O.o**

A couple of hours later I was helping my father and Jasper set up the chairs on either side of the short aisle leading up to the gazebo. They had already hung up the twinkle lights and placed the torches around the backyard, and we were quickly finishing setting up the rest. Just as I was wondering where the flowers were that Esme had ordered, Charlie and Emmett joined us, carrying two vases each.

'Didn't think I'd be working today,' Charlie joked.

'Yeah,' Emmett chimed in. 'Esme barely said hi before ordering us around with these flowers. She said there are some more inside, and candles to go on the deck.'

'Where's Rose?' Jasper asked him as we walked back inside.

'In one of the guest rooms with the other women, getting ready. Honestly, I'm glad she's bitching to them now for a while. She's been so obsessed with fitting into the dress! Thinks she's fat or something.'

'That's my sister,' Jasper confirmed. 'When she went on the pill and gained a few pounds, she was devastated. Took her a year and a lot of working out to accept that she wasn't stick-skinny anymore.'

'See, I can sort of get that. And I love her body. But this is ridiculous! I mean, she just had a baby a few months ago. It takes time to lose the baby weight.'

Both Jasper and I paused at those words.

'Tell me you didn't say that to her.'

'Uhm, I did.' At our baffled expressions, he quickly added, 'But I also told her she is gorgeous and I love her no matter what she looks like. I do know a thing or two about how to deal with this stuff, you know.'

'Okay, bro, whatever. But I think it's normal for her to be a bit insecure now. Just stay positive with her,' Jasper offered.

**o.O.o**

_It's the dream afraid of waking_

_That never takes the chance_

**o.O.o**

Once everything was in its proper place, I meandered my way to my old room to shower and get dressed. I say _meandered_, because I took a detour passed the downstairs guest rooms, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bella. As I approached the room at the end of the hall, where the laughing and chattering grew more distinct, Rosalie emerged from the room with Finn, who was all but asleep in her arms.

'Oh, no you don't,' she warned as she saw me, quickly walking over to me and guiding us in the opposite direction. 'I heard all about your visit last night. You are not seeing Bella until she's walking down that aisle.'

'I wasn't…' I tried half-heartedly, but she giggled and interrupted my failed attempt at an excuse.

'Sure you weren't; you just happened to be in the neighborhood. Is everything ready?'

'Yes. I'm about to shower and change. Not shave, though; Bella's instructions. Where are you going?'

'I need a quiet place to feed Finn and put him down for a nap so he's rested for the wedding, so I was going to mom's and Carlisle's room. Then I need to find that husband of mine so he can dress him.'

'I think he's getting ready in Jasper's room; I'll let him know to come find you when he's done,' I offered. 'What did you get Finn to wear, by the way?'

'Come, I'll show you,' she said, going up the stairs.

After a quick stop at Jasper's room – since we were passing it anyway – we entered the master bedroom. I arranged some pillows in the middle of the bed so Finn could sleep there without falling off, while Rosalie took his outfit for the day out of his bag.

'Emmett wanted the real thing,' she explained. 'But I doubt that'd be comfortable and he'd only get it dirty anyway, so I got him a few of these.'

She held up some tiny black pants and socks, and a t-shirt with a tuxedo print. It was both adorable and hilarious, and I grinned at her in approval.

'That is one cool kid, Rose. Has Bella seen it yet?'

'Yeah, she couldn't stop laughing.'

'How's she doing, by the way?'

'Ridiculously calm. I remember how jittery I felt when I got married, but she's the total opposite. Like, mom and Renee are an emotional mess, and Alice is this whirlwind, arranging everything. And she just sits there with her tea and this serene smile.'

'She's ready,' I stated proudly.

Rosalie didn't even need to respond to that; she just gave me a sisterly hug before shooing me from the room. When I entered my old room, I checked the time on my phone. I had an hour left before I had to go down to the gazebo and another hour until the ceremony would be completed and I could call Bella my wife. The observation prompted me to send her a quick text.

_Everything outside looks perfect for you. Gonna shower and get ready now. I'll be waiting at the end of the aisle._

As I was about to step into the shower, she replied.

_I'll see you there. You can recognize me by my white dress. Love you!_

**o.O.o**

_It's the one who won't be taken,_

_Who cannot seem to give_

**o.O.o**

The ceremony itself was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. On the one hand, it passed by in a blur, but on the other hand, every single detail of it stood out as if it were under a spotlight. Bella looked absolutely divine as Charlie escorted her from the house to the gazebo, where I stood waiting with Emmett and Mrs. Weber, who was officiating. Because the wedding was such a small affair, we had chosen to keep it rather informal; Bella's and Alice's dresses – one white with light blue accents, the other pale yellow and green – were both strapless and knee-length, and Emmett and I wore suits instead of the more traditional tuxedos. Emmett had opted out of wearing a tie, but, knowing Bella liked it, I had paired my grey suit with a black skinny tie.

I shot Charlie a thankful smile when he placed Bella's hand in mine, and couldn't resist kissing her knuckles when she had passed her bouquet to Alice. During the ceremony I barely paid attention to Mrs. Weber's words, instead focusing on the sparkle in my bride's eyes and the smile on her lips. I managed to speak my vows in a steady voice, only faltering once or twice, and relished in hearing her whispered promise of forever in return. When we slid our rings onto each other's fingers, the world seemed to slow down and all sounds were muted until Mrs. Weber declared us husband and wife.

I didn't waste any time gathering her in my arms and sealing our bond with a tender kiss. Ideally, I'd have tossed her over my shoulder an carried her to bed to claim her as my own in this new capacity, but we had guests to entertain, so we kept it fairly chaste, with just a hint of tongue.

**o.O.o**

_And the soul afraid of dying_

_That never learns to live_

**o.O.o**

Esme's friend Siobhan was photographing the wedding and whisked us away for some formal photos after the ceremony, allowing our fathers and brothers the time to rearrange the chairs for dinner. Luckily she understood our wish to keep everything casual, so we ended up with pictures that showed our love and happiness in a relaxed setting.

The next hour or two were spent receiving well-wishes from our friends and family, and comments about how lovely everything was and how beautiful Bella looked, to which I could only agree. My wife was breathtaking.

Speeches and lavish gifts had been vetoed; instead, our family had sprung for part of our honeymoon, allowing us to travel through Europe for four weeks instead of two. After dinner, the evening easily progressed into a party that lasted well into the night, making us glad we had hired a chauffeur service and wouldn't be leaving for London until after the weekend.

For our first dance as husband and wife I had chosen the song. Tears sprung to Bella's eyes as she recognized the opening notes when I guided her onto the makeshift dance floor. We shared a sweet kiss and I gently wiped away a few tears that had fallen before I took her hand in mine and rested my other hand on the small of her back. We let the words sung in Bette Midler's voice wash over us as our surroundings fell away, only returning to the present when our guests applauded at the end of the song.

**o.O.o**

_When the night has been too lonely_

_And the road has been too long,_

_And you think that love is only_

_For the lucky and the strong,_

_Just remember in the winter_

_Far beneath the bitter snows_

_Lies the seed that with the sun's love_

_In the spring becomes the rose_

**o.O.o**

* * *

><p><strong>AN This is the last regular chapter of this story. I hope to post the epilogue soon, but don't ask me to specify a date. I am trying to finish up my vampfic as well as working on the PTB Writing Challenge and my original story. For now, enjoy the summer as these two are enjoying their honeymoon!**


	18. Epilogue - Everything

**A/N So, we've come to the end of this story. **_**Family Ties**_** started out as some future takes of my first ever fanfic, **_**Best Friends and Siblings**_**, but grew into a full-out sequel. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who shared this journey with me and the characters, be it leaving heartfelt reviews, making a banner for the story, beta'ing a chapter, or just letting me bounce ideas off them. You have no idea what this means to me. I don't want to risk overlooking someone by listing names, so I won't, but you know who you are.**

**Now, let's get on with the show and have Edward tell you what happened after the wedding. All standard disclaimers apply.**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

**Everything**

**Edward**

Quietly shutting the door to Bella's hospital room, I took a moment to calm my frayed nerves. Today had been absolutely crazy, and as happy as I was that our family was there to help and support us, I was glad they had all gone home, giving us some well-needed time alone. I turned around and just stood there for several long moments, drinking in the sight of my beautiful wife, dozing serenely. A gurgle from the standard issue bassinet commanded my attention, so I carefully made my way over. Unable to resist any longer, I reached down to pick up the small bundle of perfection, placing a tender kiss to the wisps of hair peeking out from the blanket.

"Shhh, sweet pea, let mommy rest for a little while," I whispered, moving to sit in the chair next to the bed.

But it was too late; Bella yawned and blinked, stretching carefully.

"Don't worry about it, love, go back to sleep," I urged her, knowing she was exhausted.

"It's okay, Edward, I need to try my hand at nursing, anyway. Come join me," she said, carefully scooting over to make room for me on the bed.

I gently sat down, placing the baby in her arms after she arranged her hospital gown. I stared, mesmerized, as she worked to help it latch on, like the nurse showed her before. Once she got the baby settled, she sighed happily. Wrapping my arm around her, I pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I love you," I told her for the millionth time that day.

She smiled up at me, repeating the sentiment.

"Can you believe it?" she wondered.

"Oh, I can," I chuckled. "But I know what you mean. This right here, this is exactly what I've wanted all along."

"Yeah, it just took me a bit longer to get to the same page. I'm sorry I let you sweat so much."

"Well, I didn't make it easy for you, either," I amended.

They say marriage is hard work. I never fully understood what that meant until I was a married man myself. And I'm not complaining. But I have learned that, to maintain a happy marriage, you have to devote yourself to it completely, and make a conscious decision to make it your priority no matter what. Of course mistakes happen, but it's what you do with those mistakes that determines whether it will strengthen your relationship or break it. And although I loved Bella with all that I had, more than my own life, we had our fair share of struggles in the first year of our marriage.

**o.O.o**

_You're a falling star, you're the getaway car._

_You're the line in the sand when I go too far._

_You're the swimming pool, on an August day._

_And you're the perfect thing to say._

**o.O.o**

The first test had taken place towards the end of our honeymoon. It had been smooth sailing until then, but I was realistic enough to know that bliss couldn't last indefinitely.

I awoke the day after the wedding with a stupid grin on my face that I didn't think would be coming off any time soon. Noticing Bella was waking up as well, I didn't waste any time in pinning her to the mattress, covering her body with my own and showing her with soft kisses and tender touches how happy I was to call her my wife.

We were interrupted just when we were about to go for another round by the ringing of my phone. Ill timing aside, our mothers were thoughtful enough to bring over breakfast. They even tidied up the place while we got ready to leave for our honeymoon.

We spent the next weeks exploring various major cities across Europe, celebrating my birthday bar hopping through the old city of Prague. The last few days were spent in London, with Bella showing me where she had lived and gone to school, in between visits to museums and landmarks. We even stopped by my grandparents' house, where we were presented with a document announcing a hefty donation into my trust fund on our first wedding anniversary, apparently a Cullen family tradition. Bella also wanted to take the opportunity to reconnect with some of her old friends there, which brought out a slightly hypocritical side in me.

Although I knew it to be irrational, I was insanely jealous of Jacob Black, the prep school boy who'd had Bella's first kiss. My apprehension caused a tense atmosphere during our initial meeting, and Bella wasted no time in giving me a piece of her mind as soon as we returned to our hotel.

"Are you kidding me, Edward?" she seethed, barely having been able to conceal her frustration during the lunch we just came from. "Well, I must say you have excellent timing," she continued sarcastically. "You decide our honeymoon is the best moment to go all jealous caveman on me? Not to mention how outrageously hypocritical this is! It was only a kiss between two drunken friends who wanted to know what it would be like! You have had all of my other firsts!"

The calm, rational side of me was telling me she was right and to make amends. However, jealousy is hardly ever calm and rational, and it overruled any logical thought. So instead, I exploded right along with her.

"Don't you think I know that? I hate feeling this way! Even more because it's completely unjustified. We're here on our honeymoon, for crying out loud! It's just… ugh!" I finished on a frustrated growl.

I had absolutely no right to be jealous of someone who had not been important to her in that way at all, especially considering that it had happened so long ago, and even more so considering that she had been confronted with several of my past indiscretions on more than one occasion, and under much less favorable circumstances. I had no right to object her to this.

I was practically panting from the physical stress of our confrontation. Standing a few feet apart, we looked at each other for several long moments, assessing each other. I mentally berated myself for both my earlier behavior as well as my outburst right then, but wasn't able to ignore how utterly glorious she was in her outrage. Then, all of a sudden, the mood shifted, and we rushed at each other, lips locking, hands roaming, clothes being discarded at record speed.

Several hours later, thoroughly sated and freshly showered, we met up with her friends again for drinks. I was able to shake Jacob's hand and apologize, and we shared a slightly awkward but sincere reconciliatory man-hug.

Marriage crisis number one averted.

**o.O.o**

_And you play it coy but it's kinda cute._

_When you smile at me you know exactly what you do._

_Baby, don't pretend that you don't know it's true._

_'Cause you can see it when I look at you._

**o.O.o**

Some inevitable little bickerings aside, we got along without any major hiccups until around midterms. I came home one night, carrying bags of groceries, to find my wife in pajamas on the couch, looking forlorn.

"I thought you'd be at the library with Alice?" I wondered.

Where I only had a few midterms, allowing me more free time, Bella was taking extra courses, meaning a barrage of exams. She had taken to studying for them with vigor, creating an elaborate schedule. I had managed to convince her to include plenty of sleep and regular downtime as well, but this night was definitely meant to be spent at the library.

"Yeah, well, I'm not, obviously," she snapped.

Quickly placing the groceries in the kitchen, I made my way over to the couch, kneeling at her side. My eyes scanned over every visible inch, taking stock of anything that might indicate illness or injury and finding nothing out of the ordinary. My fingers traced her face and neck; I couldn't detect a fever or increased heartbeat. Breathing a sigh of relief at that at least, I cupped her cheek in my hand and tried to look into her downcast eyes.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked. "You're not feeling well?"

She just shrugged and sniffled, not meeting my eyes. I dragged my hands through my hair, rising to my feet.

"Bella, you're freaking me out here. What's going on?" I begged, becoming frustrated.

Had something happened to her during the day to cause distress? Did I inadvertently do something to upset her?

"Please tell me what I can do to help you," I tried again. "Because I'm seriously getting worried now."

That seemed to pull her out of her stupor and her head snapped up, fiery eyes boring into mine.

"You could get me pregnant for a change," she sneered, taking me completely by surprise.

I did not see that coming. Sure, we were both ready to start a family, and I longed for the day I could hold our baby for the first time. But I also knew things like that cannot be rushed or forced and we would have to be patient. I had no idea the thought had been occupying her mind as much as it apparently had.

"You managed to knock me up before without even trying, so I don't see why it's so difficult now," she continued.

"Baby, whoa, slow down," I tried to calm her. "I'm almost afraid to ask, but… are you on your period?"

I surreptitiously moved my hands to protect my crotch in case this would set her off more. That, luckily, turned out to be unnecessary.

"Yes!" she replied miserably, then burst into tears.

The sight of my crying wife caused all my frustration at the situation to melt away, leaving in its stead a pathological need to console her. I gathered her in my arms and slid under her on the couch so she was sitting on my lap. Hugging her close, I pressed my lips to her temple, trying to soothe her.

"Shhh Bella…" I whispered, gently rocking us. "Is that what this is about?"

Clinging to me, she sniffled again, her cries subsiding.

"I-I was a f-few days l-late," she hiccupped. "S-so I w-was h-hoping…"

I hugged her even closer, tilting her head to face me, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Bella, sweetheart…"

"A-and I've been w-working so-so hard… I-I'm s-sorry!"

The reason Bella was taking extra courses already was so she wouldn't get behind if and when she got pregnant. I worried for her due to the added stress, but so far she was managing nicely. But if a breakdown like this was the result of that… I wasn't so sure. I knew from my father that any number of outside factors could impact a woman's cycle, and it wouldn't be a surprise to me if the stress from her heavy workload was to blame here. But why was she apologizing?

"Honey, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for!" I urged. "If you think I'm expecting you to get pregnant straight away, then I'm the one who should apologize. It'll come when we'll least expect it, trust me. And I love you no matter what. But you've got to take care of yourself!"

Tear-filled eyes looked up at me, a sad expression still on her face.

"You mean that?"

"Of course I do, you silly girl!" was my immediate response.

The only thing about this situation remotely qualifying for an apology was her accusation of me not impregnating her, but I wasn't going to make it any worse. Besides, she had said that in the heat of the moment, overcome with emotion.

"Now, why don't you go and take a bath and some painkillers, and I'll get dinner started," I offered, leaning in to kiss her once more.

Marriage crisis number two averted.

**o.O.o**

"I think it was good that happened when it did," Bella whispered, gently stroking a finger down a rosy cheek. "Because honestly, I was working myself to the bone, trying to compensate for something that hadn't even happened yet."

"Well," I sighed. "I am known to give out decent advice from time to time."

That earned me an elbow to the side and a snorted giggle.

"Now if only you'd learn to follow your own advice," she retorted.

Again, she was right.

**o.O.o**

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times_

_It's you, it's you, you make me sing._

_You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

**o.O.o**

The next few months had passed without any unexpected events. It was just the both of us working hard to pass our classes and trying to juggle our course loads with a social life so as to not neglect our friends and family. Bella had insisted on hosting a family Thanksgiving dinner to mark the first time we'd share the holiday as a married couple. She had actually wanted to cook all the food herself. While ambitious, I had been quick to talk her out of that and convince her to let everyone bring a dish of their own. Our first married Christmas had been much more relaxed, with Christmas Eve spent quietly at home. Some more milestones had followed, with Finn's first birthday being the undisputed highlight.

Around that time I had enrolled in a course that basically consisted of a near semester long group project that took up most of my time. At first we managed, because Bella was busy with her own courses, and we tried to have fixed alone time on a regular basis. But then one of us had a study group on one of those nights that couldn't possibly be rescheduled or cancelled. Although we swore that it would be a one-off, shortly thereafter another school related commitment came up, and before long we were little more than glorified roommates. It didn't help that Bella had most of her classes in the mornings, while my group meetings often lasted all evening. As a result, we would go weeks only seeing each other late at night when I would crawl into bed, and early morning, when she would get up. Our sex life was at an all-time low because of our conflicting schedules. Frankly, even when we did have time to spend together, I was too tired to even contemplate sex. We resorted to quickies from time to time to take the edge off, but I think we both knew this situation couldn't last too long without blowing up in our faces.

And blow up it did.

**o.O.o**

_You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,_

_And you light me up, when you ring my bell._

_You're a mystery, you're from outer space,_

_You're every minute of my every day._

**o.O.o**

Although Spring Break had arrived to offer some much needed downtime, my project group had thought it a good idea to use some of that time to work ahead. Stupidly, I agreed to their schedule without thinking to check with my wife. When I realized this, it was too late to back out of the commitment and all there was left to do was grovel with Bella and hope she'd understand. She was far more understanding than I deserved or expected, just asking me to let her know when I'd be home for dinner.

One evening I met up with Emmett and Jasper, having spent all day in the Legislation and Jurisprudence sections of the library, needing to kick back for a bit and hang out with my friends. After a gruesome week of rewriting the entire project from a different angle, I really needed to unwind a bit by having a beer with my friends. One beer turned into several, as they tend to do.

"You and Rose didn't have any plans for the break?" Jasper asked Emmett.

"Nah, too much of a hassle for now, with Finn and all. We'll probably take a day trip or something. How about you?"

"Well, Alice wanted to go to Hawaii," Jasper started. "But I plan to take here there for our honeymoon next year, so I told her I'd be too busy with school for now."

"You got engaged?!" both Emmett and I exclaimed.

"Not yet, not yet," Jasper laughed. "But I'm working on it."

Of course, an announcement like that called for a celebration, so a round of whiskey was ordered, further inebriating us.

It was well past midnight when I stumbled through the front door of our eerily quiet apartment. One light was still on, allowing me to see that the table had been set with candles and wine glasses. Confused, I moved to the bedroom in search of Bella.

The bedside lamp was turned on, casting a soft glow on my beautiful, sleeping wife. Damn, she was gorgeous! It was in that moment I realized I had missed her these past few months, and vowed to make more of an effort to show her how much I loved her. This resolve was further solidified when I saw the dried-up tears marring her flawless skin.

It dawned on me she must have cried herself to sleep. Even though I didn't yet know what had caused her tears, I knew I had to make right whatever it was.

While I was wracking my alcohol-clouded brain over this, she woke up. Sleepy, red-rimmed eyes landed on me, but instead of warmth, there was only hurt in them.

"Baby…?" I asked, still wondering what was wrong.

"You have some nerve," she spat.

Still confused, I watched as she got up out of the bed, unable to stifle a groan as I saw the new lingerie she was wearing. Black satin and lace barely covered her delicious curves.

"Oh no, you don't," she warned, keeping me at arm's length when I reached for her. "Don't you fucking dare! You knew I was going to cook a nice dinner for us. I told you several times I wanted to have a quiet evening by ourselves. I even bought new lingerie to surprise you! And you have the audacity to come waltzing in here in the middle of the night and act like nothing's wrong?"

"Baby, I'm sorry, I forgot," I tried to apologize, but she wouldn't hear of it.

"Leave it, Edward. I can smell the alcohol on you. You know, it's one thing to cancel on me because you're buried in work, but to blow me off to go drinking with your buddies…?"

"It wasn't like that!" I whined.

"Yes, it was!" she yelled back. "And I deserve better than that."

I was shocked silent at her words. Was she really saying she had enough?

"What do you mean?" I finally dared to ask.

She sighed, tears once again gathering in her eyes.

"It means I don't want to see you right now, Edward. You hurt me. Badly."

There was nothing left to say at that. She was right. I didn't deserve her.

I looked around the room helplessly, stalling, grasping at straws. Anything to give her the time to reconsider. Since our wedding we had not spent the night apart; I couldn't bear the thought of not sleeping next to her. But if this was what she needed, I would give it. Gladly.

"Fine, I'll sleep on the couch," I offered.

Her arms were wrapped around her torso, tears streaming down her face, and she didn't look at me while I moved to get my pillow from the bed and a blanket from the linen closet.

"Just go. Please," she whispered.

"Please, Bella, let me make this right," I begged.

"You should have thought of that sooner," she said bitterly. "Do you think it's my dream to play the happy little housewife? I'm busy too, you know. But at least I try. Do you know how long I spent in that kitchen cooking you a nice dinner today? It took me hours to get everything ready, but I was glad to do it. For you."

"I know, baby, and I'm sorry," I tried again.

"No, you don't," she countered. "You were out getting drunk. I was sitting here, watching the food go to waste, waiting for you to grace me with your presence."

"I forgot…" I muttered miserably.

"Exactly, you forgot. And I ended up snot-sobbing to Alice on the phone. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?"

I could only imagine. Completely at a loss, I tried to reason with her again, as much as my inebriated mind could accomplish.

"Let's just… go to sleep, and we'll talk in the morning, okay?"

"No, Edward, I mean it. I don't want to see you right now. Get out."

Frozen to the spot, I couldn't react to her desperate plea. Obviously frustrated with my lack of response, she started crying harder.

"Get out, Edward. Get out!"

This wasn't getting anywhere. She was upset to say the least, and I was too drunk to fully comprehend the situation, let alone resolve it without a shouting match. That didn't mean I was just going to let her kick me out like that.

"Fine, suit yourself. But I'm not giving up without a fight."

I got my toothbrush from the bathroom and clean underwear from the dresser. On my way out I stopped in front of her, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She still wouldn't look at me and continued to cry silently.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make this right," I promised.

Still too drunk to drive, or fully process what had happened for that matter, I ended up taking a cab to my parents. Of course I didn't realize I hadn't taken my keys with me, so I had to face the embarrassment of waking them up in the middle of the night. Thankfully, they agreed to talk in the morning, and before long I was trudging up the stairs to my old room.

The next morning, Esme gently knocked on the door to wake me. I splashed some water in my face, popped some Tylenol in my mouth and put on the same clothes I had worn the night before, then went down to the kitchen for breakfast. Jasper, who was the only one who hadn't woken up when I had arrived, was surprised to see me.

"Dude, not that I don't like seeing you, but what are you doing here?" he asked while nursing a large mug of coffee.

"Bella kicked me out," I confessed, causing shocked gasps and looks from everyone.

"No way!" Jasper finally reacted. "Just because you had a few drinks with us last night?"

That earned him a glare from my sister, who also didn't waste any time smacking the back of both our heads.

"You're idiots, the both of you! She wasn't upset because you went out for a drink," she seethed. "She called me, in tears, because you've been neglecting her! She's had last night planned for weeks, and you stood her up!"

"Edward, is that true?" my father asked, worry lacing his tone.

"I forgot," I muttered, ashamed. "I've been so busy with this project, then the guys called yesterday for a drink, and I completely forgot Bella had told me about her plans."

Alice just huffed in response.

"Seriously, if I had known she'd make such a big deal out of it…"

"Oh hell no!" she cut me off. "You don't get to trivialize this. You've done a lot of rotten things over the years, but I never thought you'd be capable of hurting my best friend this way. I guess you've proven me wrong."

"Alice…" Esme cautioned. "Don't you think you should let Edward and Bella sort out their troubles on their own?"

"Normally I would, but I've been dealing with a moping best friend who was crying to me about not feeling pretty anymore. She said they haven't had sex in weeks!"

"Alice!" my father exclaimed this time. "That is private! I don't care what you girls talk about, but you will not go around broadcasting other people's business like that. I will not stand for such gossip."

She had the good grace to blush in admonishment and mumble out an apology.

"Is there truth to this, though?" Esme asked gently. "Not that we need any details, but there was a time, not too long ago, when you two couldn't keep your hands off each other."

I groaned and dropped my head to the table, my hands raking through my hair in frustration.

"She _is _right," I confessed. "I let school take priority over my marriage."

I was too ashamed to look up, knowing I would only be met with disappointment.

"I don't want to lose her," I cried. "How do I fix this?"

"Well, for starters…" Alice was quick to jump in, but my father interrupted her.

"Alice, I think it would be best if Esme and I talk to your brother alone about this. Why don't you give Bella a call? I'm sure she'd like someone to talk to right now."

I was glad my father and Esme took me aside for this. Unlike Alice, who was, understandably, letting her loyalty towards her friend overrule her objectiveness, my parents didn't treat me like a child. I was a married man now, and they simply offered their own marital advice. And while I already knew the truth of what we talked about, it helped to see it from their perspective. It was also valuable that they both had busy, irregular schedules, similar to Bella and I. I was sure to get some useful pointers from them.

After that, the biggest part of the day was spent on the phone. I conference called the project group, getting them to understand my need for a slightly slower pace. Luckily, they did realize we had all been pushing ourselves too hard, and a new schedule was drafted, deliberately leaving the rest of Spring Break open. Next, I called a restaurant we frequented to place a take-out order for later that evening, wanting to spoil Bella a bit. Esme had warned me not to resort to buying gifts to apologize; not only would it give the wrong signal, trivializing Bella's feelings and setting a precedent, but it would also imply that she was materialistic, which was as far from the truth as possible. I couldn't completely resist, though, and arranged a spa treatment for her.

As a little something extra I had called in a favor from a guy I knew who worked at the college radio station. When I left the restaurant I texted Alice.

_Please ask Bella to turn on college radio – E_

Turning the car radio on as well, I waited with baited breath for my request. When the song playing ended, the dj made his announcement.

"Alright, this next song is dedicated to Bella, from her Edward. Actions will speak louder than words, but this song accurately describes what he's trying to say."

Next, Michael Bublé started crooning his _Everything_. I hoped Bella was listening and would understand its significance as I drove home.

When I arrived at our apartment, Alice just exited the building. She eyed the bag of take-out and the bouquet of red roses in my hand approvingly and held the door open for me.

"It's a start," she said. "But tread carefully. She just barely stopped crying."

Cringing at that, I nodded and pressed the button for the elevator.

When I reached our front door I decided to err on the side of caution, and knocked before turning the key and letting myself in. I figured it would help if she knew I was coming in, so I wouldn't startle her.

She was sitting on the couch, fiddling with her rings. When I set the bag of take-out on the coffee table she looked up, emotions I couldn't quite decipher in her eyes. Terrified of breaking whatever was taking place, I stood rooted to the spot, just watching her. Finally, she rose from the couch and approached me, and what happened next caught me by surprise, to say the least. Her arms wrapped around me in what probably could be described as a hug, but she clung to me so tightly it was much more than that. The flowers dropped from my grasp as I held her to me, breathing her in. One of her hands was gripping my hair as the other was fisted in my shirt.

I don't know how long we held each other like that, but eventually I broke the silence by whispering softly, "I love you."

She pulled back, locking her eyes with mine, and hope blossomed in my heart that we could fix this and move past it. Then she kissed me gently, and all tension left my body. I kissed her back with all that I had, trying to convey everything I couldn't put into words.

Eventually we pulled back from our kiss, our foreheads pressed together.

"You're everything," I whispered.

"_Whatever comes our way we'll see it through_," she quoted back to me.

Not wanting to rush into things, I extricated myself from her embrace. Admittedly, I wanted to properly woo her before doing anything remotely sexual.

"Why don't you go put these in some water," I suggested, handing her the flowers. "And I'll unpack dinner?"

So a few minutes later we were enjoying dinner and just talked. I told her about my talk with my father and Esme, and my subsequent actions. I groveled, begging her for forgiveness for having neglected her so much. She confessed that she probably should have spoken up sooner. Ultimately, we agreed we had both been at fault in this situation, though I silently insisted I had been the bigger culprit.

"Did Alice really smack you?" she giggled, incredulous.

I nodded.

"Yeah. Smacked Jazz, too. It was actually quite synchronized."

"She was very mad at you," she mused. "Tried to hide it, of course, but she was fuming. It would've been funny, if I hadn't been so upset…"

"Baby," I groaned, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. "I hate that I caused you pain."

In response, Bella swung her leg over my lap, straddling me, and took my face in her hands.

"Edward, stop. We've both been angry at you, and we've both realized where we went wrong. Look at it this way: you wouldn't be able to hurt me if I didn't love you as much as I do."

Her eyes confirmed the truth and sincerity of her words, and I found myself getting lost in them again.

"When did you get so wise?" I asked, only half joking.

"Around the time I realized you're it for me," she explained, a smile tugging at her lips. "So quit moping and kiss me."

I was only too happy to oblige and reached up to caress her lips with my own. Hers parted in a contented sigh and I slipped my tongue past them. Her hands kept cradling my face while mine moved from her hips to her waist, pulling her closer to me. She was so close to me, and it had been so long – my body reacted almost instantly. I could tell when she noticed; she gasped, then moaned, and ground down onto me. My answering groan was almost desperate and I knew we weren't going to make it to the bedroom. Instead, I brought my hands underneath her sweater, feeling goose bumps at my touch. I pulled it up and over her head, flinging it across the room. The lace trimming on her dark blue bra called to me, and I ran my fingers along it before pulling down the cups and worshipping her soft, perky breasts with my mouth. I think I professed my adoration of them while I buried my face in her cleavage.

She continued to play with my hair, but then became more urgent and tugged at my shirt. I helped her take it off. As soon as my arms were free of the sleeves I was touching her skin again, and she raked her nails over my back, chest and arms, while nibbling on my earlobe. I shivered at the sensations. My fingers dug into her hips and eventually slipped into the yoga pants she was wearing. I reveled in pealing them off her, kissing inch upon inch of exposed skin. She squirmed under my ministrations, but I didn't keep her waiting for long.

Soon I was leaning over her as she stretched out on the couch, giving me a perfect view of her delicious body, only barely covered by a few scraps of fabric. The simple underwear she had on now was all the more appealing to me, even more than the fancy lingerie of the other night, due to the enormity of the moment. This wasn't just a night to be together; we were making up and reconnecting.

She reached for my jeans and was quick to unbutton them and tug them down my hips. Not wanting to waste time struggling with the remainder of my clothes, I stood up and hurriedly kicked off my jeans and socks. I was straining against my boxers; Bella reached out to run her fingers along my length and I hissed at the contact, instantly craving more. She grabbed the waistband of my boxers and pulled, causing me to tumble back onto the couch and on top of her. I was quick to remove her bra, then slid her panties down her legs. She ran her feet up the back of my legs, then used them to push my boxers down. Having her naked under me unleashed all pent up emotion, and I couldn't go back and take it slow any longer. I was near frantic, trying to decide where to begin, wanting to feel as much of her as possible. Bella was just as impatient, and she pulled me down onto her, wrapping her legs around me. I was resting heavily on her inner thigh. Our kiss was filled with lust and longing, and I didn't hesitate in lining up and thrusting home. I stilled for a few moments, simply relishing the feeling of her, warm and wet, around me. She cupped my face and leaned up to softly kiss me, while her legs tangled with mine, causing me to sink even deeper into her. Once I started moving, all bets were off. She spurred me on by moaning in my ear and asking me to go harder, to claim her.

Pushing up on my hands, I looked into her hooded eyes. Her skin was flushed and covered in sweat; I couldn't resist licking and kissing every inch within my reach. She was mine, still, and allowed me back in her arms and her warmth. I growled when this realization hit me, and she moaned my name in response, followed by a string of '_yes'_ and '_fuck'_. I couldn't hold out much longer. My head dropped to her shoulder as my thrusts became more and more erratic until I finally came.

I felt a little bad about not tending to Bella's pleasure first, but her labored breathing and satisfied smile took away those concerns. Besides, I planned on making her feel good several more times that night, and every following night.

**o.O.o**

_And I can't believe, that I'm your man,_

_And I get to kiss you, baby, just because I can._

_Whatever comes our way, we'll see it through,_

_And you know that's what our love can do._

**o.O.o**

I kept my promise and didn't so much as think of the project for the remainder of Spring Break, and afterwards adhered to a study schedule that allowed for regular downtime. Soon, Bella and I were as happy as we were before our big fight, and started preparing for our first wedding anniversary. I had wanted to do something special for Bella, so I offered to arrange a vacation to mark the occasion. She was easily persuaded, even giving me free reign, but at the time I thought nothing of it.

Taking a page out of Jasper's book, I contacted my father's friend Alistair Hannigan, who was a moderately successful travel agent specializing in the Pacific. He hooked us up with a beachside cottage at the Turtle Bay resort on Oahu for two weeks. It would allow us to spend our anniversary and my birthday in an almost private paradise, with plenty of opportunity to explore the glorious nature and tropical nightlife. The inventory included surfing equipment and snorkeling gear, and I added a breakfast package to the booking, making sure fresh food would be delivered onto the deck bright and early every morning. To add some activities to our very relaxing itinerary, Alistair arranged vouchers for couple's massage, a hulu lesson, spa treatment, and three yoga sessions on the beach. I even sprung for a 'dolphin encounter'. It cost a pretty penny, but I figured Bella would absolutely love it. To be honest, I was just as excited as I hoped she would be, because let's face it, it's not every day you get to swim with dolphins.

However, all of my planning and the special features I had booked – orchid and rose delivery the morning of our actual anniversary – paled in comparison to Bella's contribution to our vacation.

Exactly one year after saying our vows in my parent's gazebo we were enjoying a private dinner on the deck of the cottage. Bella looked absolutely stunning in a strappy dress that showed just the right amount of skin. It was made with some kind of floaty material which moved gently in the soft breeze and served to tease me mercilessly. Her hair was piled on top of her head and she had put a flower in it. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and made it a point to touch her in some way throughout dinner.

After dessert was served, Bella briefly excused herself to use the bathroom, and I used the opportunity to pour some champagne, to toast to the occasion. When she sat back down I motioned to her glass, but she interrupted me.

"Edward, before we toast, can I just say something?"

Curious, I nodded for her to continue.

"This whole trip, it's so wonderful. I can't thank you enough for putting it all together."

"Well, you're more than worth it, love," I replied.

"I also have a little present for you," she confessed, blushing.

She placed a small box on the table in front of me. When I opened it, it took me a while to process what I was looking at. When realization hit me, I looked up a Bella, the tears in her eyes and smile on her face confirming it.

Nestled inside the box was a tiny onesie with a print reading _Bestest Daddy in the World_. To emphasize the message, a positive pregnancy test was placed next to it. Needless to say, I was out of my chair in the blink of an eye, gathering Bella in my arms and kissing her soundly.

"Is it true? You're pregnant?" I asked excitedly, wanting to hear her say the words.

"Yes, baby," she giggled. "You're going to be a daddy."

Gripping the onesie tightly in one hand, I cupped her cheek with the other, looking deeply into her eyes.

"This is the best gift you could ever give me," I whispered, my voice breaking with emotion. "My life is so much better since you came into it, and now… you're making it even more beautiful. I love you so much."

Dessert was soon forgotten as I swooped Bella up in my arms and quickly carried her inside. I took care undressing her, seeing her body with new eyes as it were, knowing what it was doing, what it was giving us. I cupped and kissed the breasts that would soon swell in preparation to nurse. My lips next moved to her tattoo, caressing the feathers and words, then placing a tender kiss on the flowers, wordlessly remembering the child we had lost. Tilting my head to rest my cheek on her skin, I placed my hand protectively on her still-flat belly, vowing to do whatever it took to keep the baby resting there safe. Bella ran her hands through my hair, sighing happily at my ministrations. Finished for the time being with that particular course of action, I carefully leaned her back onto the bed and proceeded to make love to her, celebrating our anniversary, my birthday, and the pregnancy.

**o.O.o**

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times_

_It's you, it's you, you make me sing._

_You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

**o.O.o**

I liked to think that Bella had conceived the night of our reconciliation, but during our first doctor's appointment the timeline was pushed back by a few weeks. Either way, we were both ecstatic at seeing that little blip on the screen, prompting another round of lovemaking when we returned home. We decided to keep it quiet for a little bit longer, and asked the hospital staff to not inform my father of our visits for now. By August, however, we were eager to share our news. The second ultrasound was much clearer, as we could already identify some body parts. It was still too soon to tell the gender yet, but we decided we wanted that to remain a surprise. The technician printed some ultrasound photos for us, and I also took a picture of the screen with my phone, wanting to be able to keep it with me at all  
>times. I also put every doctor's appointment in my calendar, ensuring I wouldn't miss them.<p>

Over the next few days, I carefully followed Bella's instructions. Since she had enrolled in the Summer Quarter to compensate in advance for any terms lost while I was following a more regular schedule, I had offered to use some of my free time to help her prepare the pregnancy announcements.

We had decided to invite our family over for Sunday brunch so we could tell them all at once. After the sandwiches and fruit, Bella served the cupcakes I had helped her bake and decorate with frosting. Finn's eyes lit up when he saw the treat, and, acting on impulse, I picked the cupcake intended for him off the tray and placed it in front of him. We had personalized the frosting for each family member, with the due date written below it.

"_Big cousin 02/20_?" Emmett read out, curiosity in his tone.

The entire room fell silent, until Alice finally exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, is it true?!"

"Is what true?" Emmett asked, still not catching on.

"She's pregnant, you dufus," Rosalie clarified, rolling her eyes.

She then looked at us expectantly, "Right?"

Bella just nodded, beaming, while a shit eating grin broke out on my face. That seemed to set everything back in motion again, and everyone rushed to congratulate us and ask all sorts of questions. I whipped out the ultrasound pictures, causing everyone to fawn over the grainy images. Renee pouted a bit a bit at hearing we had known since June, but was quick to put things in perspective.

"I get why you wanted to wait to tell us, but as a mother, I would've loved to have been there for you when you found out."

Bella expertly handled it by asking her to help pick out the crib, stroller and car seat, and inviting Esme to assist with decorating the nursery.

**o.O.o**

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times_

_It's you, it's you, you make me sing._

_You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

**o.O.o**

The next few months passed without much incident. Bella made arrangements to take Winter Quarter off, and set up a reduced course load for Spring Quarter. I informed the Dean's office of the situation and set up a reminder to alert any lecturers and study groups when we would be approaching the due date, since I intended to stay home for the first two weeks and aimed for an accommodating schedule at least until summer. I was there for every doctor's appointment and insisted on reviewing the selections for the nursery. Money was no factor in deciding on the best; I'd happily spend a few extra grand if it meant my wife and child would not want for anything. We ended up with teal walls, a whitewashed floor, white furniture with teal upholstery, and black and silver accents throughout. Perfect for boys as well as girls without being too generic. At least that's how Esme described it.

For Bella's 20th birthday we stayed home, simply enjoying a relaxed day with friends and family. She was just starting to show and I couldn't keep my hands off her bump. Luckily, pregnancy seemed to agree with her: she was only slightly nauseated at times, and that was usually caused by strong scents, and after the first few months the fatigue diminished along with the nausea. With the return of her energy came a significant increase in her libido. Not that I was complaining; she was even more sensitive and responsive, not to mention incredibly horny. We were pretty much going at it like rabbits whenever we got the chance.

I didn't want her birthday to revolve around her pregnancy, though, knowing there was still a baby shower to come, and Christmas would probably also feature plenty of baby-themed gifts for us both, so I had asked everyone to keep this in mind when buying a gift for her. I hoped to set a good example by getting her an e-reader, which my parents filled with several of Bella's favorites, and a blue silk Victoria's Secret kimono. Emmett got her a Netflix subscription, explaining it would keep her entertained whenever, and also included child-friendly programs. I suspected he was also hoping we would offer to babysit Finn more often, so he could have some private time with Rosalie. I honestly didn't care, as I loved having the little guy over, and he was good practice for our own baby. Rosalie tossed in a Barnes & Noble gift card so she could stock up on some more e-books. Alice had taken a more creative round and presented a handmade calendar with a gift certificate for each month of the upcoming year. It included restaurant vouchers, a prenatal massage, pedicures, yet-to-be-determined movie tickets and more, making it a very thoughtful gift. Bella's parents came carrying a massive gift basket with luxurious bath products from Lush and fluffy towels. Finally, Jasper gave her a voucher for a photo shoot with Siobhan, explaining it was valid for a year so we could get updated photos now, or after the baby was born.

By the time Alice was planning her Halloween bash – and Jasper his proposal to her on that same night – Bella was positively glowing, and her bump was becoming more and more pronounced. Where previous years we would coordinate guys' and girls' costumes, this year, like the year before, we opted for couples' costumes. Rosalie and Emmett dressed as Gru and Lucy from _Despicable Me_, with Finn in the most adorable minion outfit. Bella and I had opted for skeleton costumes and sugar skull face paint. Her shirt featured a baby skeleton on her bump, proudly announcing the news to anyone not yet in the know. Suffice it to say that between that and Wolverine-Jasper proposing to Rogue-Alice, the party rivaled the Vegas wedding of the year before.

I had snuck in a quick chat with Diego, who made an appearance with Zafrina before going to another party, to tentatively schedule an appointment for March. He had added our wedding date to our wrist tattoos when we returned from our honeymoon, and was happy to accommodate me in my pursuit to have my growing family etched into my arm.

At the start of the new year, Renee hosted Bella's baby shower. I had asked her if men were welcome too, but both Emmett and Jasper had been quick to shoot that idea down, deciding on the spot to treat me to a guys' weekend, which translated into camping with beer and barbecue. To save them from being tortured with baby talk, they had also invited Charlie and my father. When we returned from our impromptu trip, the nursery was filled with toys, stuffed animals and baby clothes, and Bella herself had been treated to some really nice maternity wear and an appointment for a belly cast. Angela and Jessica, having flown in from New Haven and LA respectively, had even splurged on a six-week post-partum doula. According to Bella, they felt bad at not being able to visit often, and wanted to make sure we would be well looked after. All in all, we were ready for the baby to be born.

**o.O.o**

_You're every song, and I sing along._

_'Cause you're my everything._

**o.O.o**

It was around that time that Bella became a bit crankier. She complained about back pains and had trouble sleeping. She was also worried about stretch marks, but I had been dutifully slathering on this special lotion Rosalie had recommended since she had first started showing, so I didn't think she'd have too much to worry about. Her tattoo might need some touching up, though. I also made sure she took regular baths to help alleviate the stress on her back. She became somewhat self-conscious, though, and eventually admitted she was afraid I wouldn't find her attractive anymore. I hurried to rectify that, assuring her she was more beautiful to me than ever, and that I only worried for her safety and comfort. Actions speak louder than words, though, so I emphasized my assurances by thoroughly making love to her.

My own worries made it difficult for me to leave her when I sent to school. I may have been an overprotective asshole, but you can't blame me for wanting the best for my family. I was just terrified she would hurt herself or go into labor without anyone there to help her. She didn't belittle my worrying, but instead promised to be with a family member in my absence, and text me regularly whenever I couldn't be with her. I never lingered after class or a study session, choosing to go home and make sure my wife was comfortable.

I took particular care on Valentine's Day, knowing we were rapidly approaching the due date and just wanting to make her feel good and loved. This translated in a long bubble bath and a relaxing massage, followed by dinner and a movie. After we had gone to bed she showed her appreciation by taking me in her hand and rubbing in torturously slow yet determined strokes, our eyes locked and my heavy breaths mingling with hers. When I tried to reciprocate, she declined, explaining she was too sensitive. Instead, I held her in my arms, rubbing soothing circles on her skin.

The next day was spent much the same way, just relaxing around the apartment. A little after midnight I felt Bella leave the bed, but I quickly dozed off again. A little while later she jostled me awake, however, urgency in her tone.

"Edward, wake up. My water just broke," she whispered excitedly.

That did the trick and I bolted upright, dragging a hand through my hair.

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure," she nodded. "I thought I had to pee, but it felt differently, and it doesn't smell the same."

"Okay, what do you need me to do?" I asked, flicking on the bedside lamp.

"Let's call the doctor first," she suggested.

I reached for my phone and scrolled through my contacts to find the number I needed. Before pressing _Send_ I pulled her to me, kissing her deeply.

"This is really happening," I wondered aloud when I pulled back, smiling.

Despite the late hour, Bella's ob/gyn, Tia Benjamin, picked up after only a few rings. She asked us when her water had broken and how far apart her contractions were. So far, not much was happening yet, so she suggested we'd try to get some more sleep and we'd meet her at the hospital first thing in the morning. Bella's asked if it was okay to take a shower, because she felt rather 'icky'. Tia said it couldn't hurt, so I carefully helped her into the shower, lathering the loofa with body wash and running it over her skin. We didn't sleep much for the rest of the night, instead lying on our sides holding hands. Bella's contractions started slowly. I tried to guide her through them, letting her squeeze my hand as hard as she needed and rubbing her lower back to try and alleviate the pressure.

When the clock read six in the morning, I helped her get out of bed and pull on some sweatpants and a t-shirt. Her bag had been ready for a few weeks now and was sitting by the door. I got her situated in my car and headed to the hospital, taking advantage of the limited traffic.

Tia met us at the nurse's desk with Bella's paperwork and a wheelchair, and was quick to get her checked in. She performed an exam on her, checking her dilation, and informed us we would still be a while. I looked at my watch and figured it wasn't too early to call our family to let them know. Within an hour everyone had assembled in the waiting room, even though I had told them we were a long way from the baby being born. They took turns popping into Bella's room to hug her and let her know they were there. Tia came in a few more times to check on Bella, but didn't like how things were coming along. Although Bella had intended to give birth the natural way, without any medication, we had to agree to set up an epidural and a drip with something in it to help speed things up.

Finally, she was dilated enough that she was allowed to push, and they turned down the epidural so she could feel the contractions better. I wasn't sure I could stomach seeing the actual birth, and I could tell Bella needed my support, so I scooted in behind her, supporting her through her labor. She was a champ, but the whole ordeal was wearing her out. Thankfully, around that time Tia called out that the baby's head was crowning, renewing Bella's energy and sense of purpose. Minutes later, full of encouragement and some very colorful language, she held up a wriggling pink baby.

"It's a girl!" she informed us brightly. "Daddy, do you want to cut the cord?"

I kissed my exhausted wife's temple and helped her lean back onto the pillows, then hurried to the other end of the bed. One of the nurses handed me some odd looking scissors and instructed me to cut between two clamps while another nurse took a picture.

"Edward, why don't you go with nurse Rachel while she cleans up the baby?" Tia suggested. "Bella still needs to deliver the placenta and then I can clean her up."

Seeking Bella's eyes to make sure she would be okay, I was met with a tired smile as she mouthed at me to go. I observed as the nurse carefully cleaned up the baby and performed some routine checks. _Our daughter_. I was a father. Overwhelmed, I nearly forgot to take pictures. When she was finished, she wrapped the baby up in a fluffy white blanket and placed a tiny pink cap on her head, before handing her over to me, making sure I was holding her properly. I made my way over to Bella, who was all covered up now and sitting up slightly. More pictures were taken as I placed the baby in Bella's arms, tears in both our eyes.

"Thank you," I whispered to her, kissing her tenderly.

The baby blinked up at Bella, pale blue eyes unfocused, and I was mesmerized.

"Does the little girl have a name?" Tia asked gently, breaking our bubble.

We both nodded. We had chosen the first name together, both for a boy and for a girl, but had decided that I got to choose the middle name in the case of a boy, and Bella if we were to have a girl. I let Bella do the honors. She smiled up at me, then tenderly stroked a finger down our daughter's cheek. When she spoke, it prompted more tears to spill from my eyes.

"Welcome to the world, Jade Elizabeth Cullen."

**o.O.o**

_**The End**_

**o.O.o**


End file.
